Humanity Star (Dove 0F1C)

Launch data: Designation  43168 / 18010F Launch date  21 Jan 2018 - 01:43 UT Launch site  OnS, LC-1 Launch vehicle  Electron Mission  Geodesy, Art Earth orbit: Perigee / Apogee  288 x 533 km Eccentricity   Inclination   82.9° Period   min

Description:

• The ′Still Testing′ mission carried RocketLab′s Humanity Star (a 1-meter polyhedron designed for high visibility). Dove and Humanity Star were deployed in elliptical orbit.
• HUMANITY STAR is a geodesic sphere is made from carbon fibre with 65 highly reflective panels. The Humanity Star sphere spins rapidly, reflecting the sun′s light back to Earth. Essentially it creates a similar effect as a disco ball, creating the appearance of a bright flashing shooting star. The concept of the Humanity Star was in part inspired by the Iridium flare phenomenon. Widely considered to be the brightest man-made object in the night sky, Iridium flares are caused by a flat metallic plane on Iridium satellites briefly reflecting the sun. The Humanity Star builds on this concept by creating many reflective surfaces to capture and reflect more of the sun′s light.