STARSHINE (satellite)

The STARSHINE (Student Tracked Atmospheric Research Satellite Heuristic International Networking Experiment) series of three (later, a fourth one was also launched) artificial satellites were student participatory missions sponsored by the United States Naval Research Laboratory (the fourth STARSHINE was a NASA mission).

STARSHINE 1 was a spherical satellite that was fitted with almost nine hundred small mirrors polished by students from around the world.

The students used these observations to calculate air drag, solar activity, and other orbit related properties of the satellite.

[10] A further fourth satellite, STARSHINE 4, was launched aboard the maiden flight of Virgin Orbit's LauncherOne rocket on 25 May 2020.

The launch vehicle failed five seconds after deployment from the carrier aircraft and the satellite did not reach orbit.