WARP-01, nicknamed Nichirin, was a 1U-sized CubeSat developed and operated by Warpspace, a newspace company based in Tsukuba, Japan. It was launched on 20 February 2021 on board a Cygnus cargo spacecraft, and deployed from the International Space Station (ISS) on 14 March 2021.[1][2] WARP-01 was used for technology validation and monitoring the radio wave and radiation environment in space.[3]
Overview
WARP-01 was Warpspace's first satellite. The company signed a contract to deploy a satellite from the ISS's Kibo Module with Space BD on 24 August 2018.[4] Inside the satellite were several wedding memorial plaques, which were sent to space as part of a 'space bridal service'.[5] At the time the service was first announced in July 2018,[6][7] media reports said that astronauts staying on the ISS were to take photographs of the satellite during its deployment.[8] WARP-01 was unveiled during an event in Tsukuba city in February 2020.[9] WARP-01 was launched and carried to space on board Cygnus NG-15. WARP-01 tested a radiation sensor, which was used to monitor the radiation environment in low Earth orbit.[5]
Launches are separated by dots ( • ), payloads by commas ( , ), multiple names for the same satellite by slashes ( / ). Cubesats are smaller. Crewed flights are underlined. Launch failures are marked with the † sign. Payloads deployed from other spacecraft are (enclosed in parentheses).
