Editing Marshall Space Flight Center (section)

====Microsatellites====
On November 19, 2010, MSFC entered the new field of microsatellites with the successful launch of [[FASTSAT]] (Fast, Affordable, Science and Technology Satellite). Part of a joint DoD/NASA payload, it was launched by a [[Minotaur IV]] rocket from the [[Kodiak Launch Complex]] on [[Kodiak Island]], Alaska. FASTSAT is a platform carrying multiple small payloads to low-Earth orbit, creating opportunities to conduct low-cost scientific and technology research on an autonomous satellite in space. FASTSAT, weighing just under {{cvt|400|lb|kg}}, serves as a full scientific laboratory containing all the resources needed to carry out scientific and technology research operations. It was developed at the MSFC in partnership with the Von Braun Center for Science & Innovation and Dynetics, Inc., both of Huntsville, Alabama. Mark Boudreaux is the project manager for MSFC.{{citation_needed|date=July 2019}}

There are six experiments on the FASTSAT bus, including [[NanoSail-D2]], which is itself a nanosatellite – the first satellite launched from another satellite. It was deployed satisfactorily on January 21, 2011.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20101016051029/http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/smallsats/fastsat/ "FASTSAT Latest News and Update"] MSFC Data</ref>