Small, tactical nano‐scale satellites (TacSats) can provide mission coverage capabilities that are unique, including: access to uninvited territories, pre‐hostility coverage of theaters of interest supporting operations preparations, coverage that is beyond the range of most third world force application countermeasures, highly predictable platform access timeline, broad fields of regard and view from orbit, coverage when air superiority/supremacy over enemy territory does not exist, and relatively long‐lived platforms that are continuously operating. Nanosats (<10 kg) may enable tactical responsive space operations but they currently generate limited power available for payloads which restricts their utility.

The program objective is to increase the power available on Cubesat‐like platforms and demonstrate the technology necessary to develop nanosats with significant and consistent power available to operate high‐capacity payloads. The specific goal is to develop a CubeSat platform that generates 50 Watts of power and has the capacity to store and control 75w/min/orbit.

Morehead State University and Kentucky Space have partnered with Radiance Technologies,
I‐3, Tethers Unlimited and Honeywell to develop a demonstration of related subsystems
and ultimately a flight system.

The deliverables of the initial phase include capabilities demonstration of sufficient maturity
to warrant follow‐on development for space flight.

More Information Can Be Found in the "TechSat-1 Program Overview" (PDF)