>[!summary] >The Canisterized Satellite Dispenser (CSD) is a reliable, testable, and cost-effective deployment mechanism for small secondary or tertiary payloads. It fully encapsulates the payload during launch and thus provides mission assurance for both the primary payload and launch vehicle (LV). > 🔗 Official Page: https://www.rocketlabusa.com/space-systems/separation-systems/satellite-dispensers/ 📋 Data Sheet: [[2002337G-CSD-Data-Sheet-compressed2.pdf]] ![[Pasted image 20250313193153.png]] ## Specs | Parameter | Value | |-------------------------|----------------------------| | Type | Rail, Tab | | Satellite Type | CubeSat | | CubeSat Form Factor | 3U, 6U, 12U | | Deployer Mass | 14.1 Kg | | Maximum Payload Mass | 9 Kg | | Space Heritage | Yes | | Operating Temperature | -24 to 61 °C | | Dimension | 157.66 x 263.53 mm | ## Variants The Canisterized Satellite Dispenser comes in three standard sizes **3U**, **6U**, and **12U** ## Heritage The CSD is at [Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 9](https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/somd/space-communications-navigation-program/technology-readiness-levels/). A 3U CSD flew aboard the inaugural Falcon 9 v1.1 flight on September 2013 and released the 7-piece POPACS payload in orbit. Over 30 missions on Falcon 9, [[Electron]], Atlas V, Antares, Minotaur IV, and more. | Launch Vehicle | Launch Date | Mission | System Size (in, U) | Organizations | | -------------- | ----------- | -------------------------- | ------------------- | -------------------------------------- | | Falcon 9 | 12-Jun-2023 | Transporter-8 | 12U | Blue Canyon Technologies for ViaSat | | Falcon 9 | 12-Jun-2023 | Transporter-8 | 6U | SOCOM (MISR-B-2) | | Falcon 9 | 12-Jun-2023 | Transporter-8 | 6U | SOCOM (MISR-A-1) | | Electron | 26-May-2023 | Coming To A Storm Near You | 3U | NASA | | Electron | 26-May-2023 | Coming To A Storm Near You | 3U | NASA | | Electron | 08-May-2023 | Rocket Like A Hurricane | 3U | NASA | | Electron | 08-May-2023 | Rocket Like A Hurricane | 3U | NASA | | Falcon 9 | 11-Dec-2022 | Lunar Flashlight | 6U | NASA | | Atlas 5 | 1-Jul-2022 | USSF-12 | 12U | Space Test Program | | Atlas 5 | 27-Sep-2021 | Landsat-9 | 6U | Boston University "CuPID" | | Atlas 5 | 27-Sep-2021 | Landsat-9 | 6U | NASA "CUTE" | | Atlas 5 | 27-Sep-2021 | Landsat-9 | 6U | AFRL | | Atlas 5 | 27-Sep-2021 | Landsat-9 | 6U | MDA | | Electron | 29-Jul-2021 | Monolith | 12U | USSF Space Test Program, SDL | | Falcon 9 | 30-Jun-2021 | Transporter-2 | 3U | NASA - Tropics Pathfinder | | Falcon 9 | 30-Jun-2021 | Transporter-2 | 12U | GA - LINCS-2 | | Falcon 9 | 30-Jun-2021 | Transporter-2 | 12U | GA - LINCS-1 | | Atlas 5 | 18-May-2021 | Co-manifested with SBIRS | 12U | (Parsons, USSF/AFRL) | | Electron | 22-Mar-2021 | RAAF M2 | 12U | NTK | | LauncherOne | 17-Jan-2021 | Launch Demo 2 | 3U | Virgin Orbit | | Electron | 13-Jun-2020 | ANDESAT | 6U | Rocket Lab | | Atlas 5 | 26-Mar-2020 | TDO-2 | 12U | Air Force Research Lab Parsons | | Electron | 19-Aug-2019 | Pearl White 1 and 2 | 6U | Air Force Space Command | | Atlas 5 | 8-Aug-2019 | TDO | 12U | SMC | | Electron | 5-May-2019 | Sparc-1 | 6U | AFRL | | Antares | 2019 | Thinsats | 3U | Twiggs Space Lab NearSpace Launch, Inc | | PSLV-XL | 2018 | HSAT-1 | 6U | Harris Corp, Spaceflight Industries | | Falcon 9 | 2018 | SSO-A | 3U | Spaceflight Industries | | Falcon 9 | 2018 | SSO-A | 6U | Spaceflight Industries | | Electron | 2018 | RSat-P | 3U | USNA, Rocket Lab | | Minotaur IV | 2017 | -- | 3U | -- | | SPARK* | 2015 | ORS-4 | 6U | ORS | | Falcon 9 | 2013 | POPACS | 3U | SpaceX | >[!info] Diagram from official Data Sheet. ![[Pasted image 20250313191052.png]]