NUSAT 1 (Northern Utah Satellite), carried aboard the Space Shuttle in 1985 as a "getaway special", was the first satellite built and flown as a student-initiated project.
Built by a consortium of three universities, led by Weber State College, NUSAT was designed to measure the patterns of air traffic control radars as a means to check and calibrate these radars worldwide. The satellite operated and gathered data for about eight months.
This artifact is a full-scale display model donated by Weber State College to the Museum in 1987.
Display Status
This object is not on display at the National Air and Space Museum. It is either on loan or in storage.
Object Details
Country of Origin
United States of America
Type
MODELS-Uncrewed Spacecraft & Parts
Manufacturer
Weber State College
Dimensions
Overall: 1ft 4in. (40.6cm)
Support (base): 9 x 1in. (22.9 x 2.5cm)
Storage (aluminum pallet and frame with fabric cover): 122.6 × 121.9 × 121.9cm, 88.5kg (48 1/4 × 48 × 48 in., 195lb.)
Materials
Steel, Paint, Aluminum, Acrylic (Plexiglas), Adhesive, Paper
Inventory Number
A19870363000
Credit Line
Gift of Weber State College
Data Source
National Air and Space Museum
Restrictions & Rights
Usage conditions apply
For more information, visit the Smithsonian’s Terms of Use.