The Smallest Spacecraft Ever Launched

The concept of 'femtosats' highlights the ongoing trend of miniaturization in space technology, pushing the boundaries of what tiny spacecraft can achieve.

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1. World's Tiniest Operational Satellites: The smallest fully functional satellites, known as 'Sprites' or 'ChipSats,' weigh just 4 grams and measure 3.5 cm square, developed by Cornell University as part of the Breakthrough Starshot initiative.
2. Evolution of Satellite Miniaturization: Satellite technology has significantly shrunk from Sputnik 1's 83.6 kg in 1957 to modern CubeSats (1-10 kg) and sub-1kg femtosatellites, reducing launch costs and increasing accessibility.
3. Key Applications of Micro-Satellites: Micro-satellites are primarily used for Earth observation, communication relays, technology demonstrations, scientific research, and forming large constellations for various applications.

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