Key design parameters and operational results for a constellation of small spacecraft for scientific and educational purposes of the AIST series

The paper reviews major results of five years of operation of the AIST series small satellites tandem. Two satellites of this series, the flight model and the engineering model, were launched into orbit in 2013. The paper provides performance data for the small spacecraft, describes their purpose, hardware configuration, the constellation status as of second quarter of 2018, research results obtained in the course of experiments conducted onboard each of the two small spacecraft. It evaluates performance capability of the small standardized satellite bus AIST, including thermal control system and power supply system. The results of analysis of telemetry data files accumulated in the course of operation of the AIST series small spacecraft, can be used in the design of new spacecraft for scientific, educational and technology experiment applications that are based on standardized small mass and dimensions satellite buses.