Digi XBee Takes Flight at NASA Wallops Flight Facility

Digi International Digi International
July 10, 2015

In case you missed it, some time ago we post a blog titled One Small Step for XBee, One Giant Leap for Wiress, describing the then-planned NASA experiment integrating Digi XBee® modules. Well, after a few delays (launching rockets is complicated!), Digi XBee finally took flight. XBee-Launch-Space

Early in the morning on July 7, 2015, NASA launched a NASA Black Brant IX suborbital sounding rocket from their Wallops Flight Facility. Onboard the rocket was an experiment testing Exo-Brake technology. A Digi XBee module was used to collect sensor data, including temperature, air pressure, and 3-axis acceleration parameters.

NASA is considering Exo-brakes as a possible solution for returning cargo from the International Space Station (ISS) and orbiting platforms, or as possible landing mechanisms in low-density atmospheres. This was one of many tests used to analyze its effectiveness, but the first to incorporate a Digi XBee connected sensor network. If you would like to read more about the Exo-brake, check out the article on New Atlas.

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Be sure to check back for updates, or subscribe to our blog. In the meantime, you can learn more about the experiment in the articles linked below:

NASAs Official Announcement on the Launch

IoT Tech Goes to Space with NASA

Have any questions about the launch or the technology involved in the experiment? Contact us!

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