Hosted Payload Lessons

Commercial satellites can host environmental remote sensing missions at lower cost than a dedicated satellite mission can. The Air Force's Commercially Hosted Infrared Payload (CHIRP) mission is demonstrating a sophisticated commercially hosted geostationary remote-sensing mission to be launched in 2011. CHIRP, now in spacecraft integration and test, is confirming a number of advantages of commercial hosting and providing lessons learned to mitigate real and perceived disadvantages relative to dedicated missions. This paper focuses on hosted payload mission issues with discussion of lessons learned in mission planning and execution.