CFESat

{{Short description|Research satellite launched in 2007}}

File:Cibola Flight Experiment Satellite (CFESat).jpg

CFESat (Cibola Flight Experiment Satellite) was a satellite that examined radio spectra for ionospheric and lightning studies, using field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs). As well as science observation, the mission aimed to demonstrate the use of reconfigurable FPGAs to work in the radiation environment of low Earth orbit.{{cite web |url=http://www.ee.surrey.ac.uk/m_ssc/news.html |title=CFEsat successfully launched on ATLAS EELV |work=Surrey Satellite Technology |date=9 March 2007 |access-date=23 November 2022}}{{cite web |last=Ambrosiano |first=Nancy |url=http://www.lanl.gov/news/index.php/fuseaction/home.story/story_id/9899 |title=NNSA satellite launched on Atlas-5 rocket |work=Los Alamos National Laboratory |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110605234306/http://www.lanl.gov/news/index.php/fuseaction/home.story/story_id/9899 |archive-date=5 June 2011 |url-status=dead |date=9 March 2007 |access-date=23 November 2022}}

The eight satellite payloads were built by Los Alamos National Laboratory, and the bus was built by Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd. CFESat was the fourth experimental satellite project conducted between the National Nuclear Security Administration and NA-22 (the United States Department of Energy's Office of Research and Development), following up on previous space validation experiments performed on the ALEXIS and FORTE satellites.{{cite web |last=Ambrosiano |first=Nancy |url=http://www.lanl.gov/news/index.php/fuseaction/home.story/story_id/8916 |title=Supercomputing satellite hits the road |work=Los Alamos National Laboratory |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110605234250/http://www.lanl.gov/news/index.php/fuseaction/home.story/story_id/8916 |archive-date=5 June 2011 |url-status=dead |date=31 August 2006 |access-date=23 November 2022}}

CFESat was launched on an Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral on 8 March 2007, alongside Orbital Express, MidSTAR-1 and FalconSAT-3.{{cite web |last=Warren |first=Ken |url=https://www.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/127641/air-forces-satellite-loaded-atlas-v-is-50th-launch-success/ |title=Air Force's satellite-loaded Atlas V is 50th launch success |work=United States Air Force |date=12 March 2007 |access-date=23 November 2022}}

CFESat reentered the atmosphere on 12 November 2022, after fifteen years in orbit.{{cite web |url=https://www.n2yo.com/satellite/?s=30777 |title=CFESAT |work=N2YO.com |date=12 November 2022 |access-date=23 November 2022}}