技术进步促进了小型卫星潜在的商业应用。美国航宇局(NASA)作为全美国民用航天活动的抓总和协调机构,近年来,竭力鼓吹发展小型、轻量、廉价卫星。作为承担航天研制任务主力军的美国工业界,特别是空间公司的领导们对于发展小卫星的看法又如何呢? 缩小卫星尺寸和降低轨道高度,不仅可以减少生产与发射成本,而且可以使星载有效载荷离地球近,从而使通信、遥感等有效载荷对电源的要求也可大大放宽。仙童空间公司轨道科学子公司项目经理B.Lyndberg如是说:“与静止卫星相比,低轨道上的小卫星具有完成任务的有利位置。双向通信的路程缩短了很多倍,从卫星 Technological advances have promoted the potential commercial applications of small satellites. In recent years, NASA, the grasping coordinator of civilian space activities in the United States, has been pushing hard to promote the development of small, lightweight and cheap satellites. What is the view of the leaders of U.S. industries, especially space companies, that take the lead in space development tasks for the development of small satellites? Reducing satellite size and reducing orbital altitude will not only reduce production and launch costs, The payload is close to Earth, so that the payload, such as communications and remote sensing, can also greatly relax the power requirements. According to B. Lyndberg, Project Manager of Orbital Science’s subsidiary, Fairchild Aerospace, "Small satellites in low-orbit have the advantage of completing missions compared to geostationary satellites. The two-way communication has been shortened many times,