BackForward Satellite Programme: Communication/Navigation Outage Forecasting System 

Programme details
Programme description
  • One of the Space Test Program (STP) series of mini-satellites to test prototypes of possible operational satellites.
  • USA programme: primary responsibility of DoD, specifically the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL), and the Space and Missile Command Test and Evaluation Directorate (SMC/TEL).  Participation of NASA and others.
  • The platform is actively stabilised over 3 axes.
  • The design life time of the satellites is 1 year.
  • The orbit is in the magnetic equatorial plane (13* inclination).
  • See detailed description at https://directory.eoportal.org/missions/cnofs.
Data circulation
  • Satellite system coordinated with a network of ground stations around the equator.
  • Main data stream through a Space-to-Ground Link Subsystem (SGLS).
  • Data also acquired through the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS).
Agencies DoD , NASA, UCAR, USAF
Programme lifetime 2008 - 2015
Associated satellites and instruments

Note: red tag => no longer operational , green tag => operational , blue tag => planned