Orbiting Picosat Automatic Launcher

OPAL
Country:	United States
Mission dates
Dimensions:	25.5 kg
Begin:	January 27, 2000
Starting place:	Vandenberg AFB SLC 8
Launcher:	Minotaur I
Orbit data
Rotation time :	100.4 min
Orbit inclination :	100.2 °
Apogee height :	773 km
Perigee height :	773 km

Orbiting Picosat Automatic Launcher (also OPAL-OSCAR 38 and OO-38 ) is an American technology testing and amateur radio satellite that was developed by students at the Space Systems Development Laboratory at Stanford University . The aim was to test the feasibility of launching multiple Pico satellites from a parent satellite.

Development started in 1995 and was completed in May 1999.

OPAL was launched on January 27, 2000 together with JAWSAT with a Minotaur-I rocket from the SLC 8 of Vandenberg AFB .

Web links

• Stanford University report

Individual evidence

1. ↑ OPAL. EOPortal.org, accessed June 10, 2014 . 
2. ↑ Orbiting Picosat Automatic Launcher in the NSSDCA Master Catalog , accessed June 9, 2014.