The Fast Auroral SnapshoT Explorer (FAST) was successfully
launched on 1996-08-21 into its intended orbit. FAST investigates the
plasma physics of auroral phenomena at extremely high time and spatial
resolution using the full complement of particle and fields instruments.
FAST is the second spacecraft (SAMPEX was first) in the Small Explorer
(SMEX) program at NASA-GSFC. SMEX was established to provide rapid (3 year
development) low cost ($35M development) mission opportunities (1 per year)
to the space science community using a single designated Principal
Investigator (PI).

  In order to capture the auroral phenomena over small time (microseconds) and spatial
  scales, FAST utilizes high speed data sampling, a large, fast-loading ("burst")
  memory, and a smart, on-board software to trigger on the appearance of various
  key phenomena. Using a 1 Gb solid-state memory and a data acquisition rate of 8
  Mbs (almost two orders of magnitude faster than previous satellites), FAST
  produces high-resolution "snapshots" of auroral arcs and other interesting auroral
  events. FAST flies in a highly eccentric, near-polar orbit precessing nominally
  one degree per day. Scientific investigations are operate in a campaign mode
  (about 60 days long) as apogee transitions through the northern auroral zone and
  in less intense survey mode during the rest of the orbit.

  The FAST mission uses a unique (not a SAMPEX derivative), lightweight, orbit-normal
  spinner spacecraft developed by the SMEX project. The spacecraft has body-mounted
  solar arrays, and is spin-stabilized, rotating at 12 rpm with the spin axis normal
  to the orbit plane ("cartwheel"). The four FAST experiments are: (1) the
  Electrostatic Analyzers (ESA) for measuring the electron and ion distribution
  function, (2) the Time-of-flight Energy Angle Mass Spectrograph (TEAMS) for
  measuring the full 3-dimensional distribution function of the major ion species,
  (3) the Tri-Axial Fluxgate and Search-coil Magnetometers for measuring magnetic
  field data, and (4) the Electric Field/Langmuir Probe Instrument for obtaining
  electric field data and plasma density and temperature. The FAST electric field
  instrument stopped providing meaningful data around 2002, all other instruments
  and systems continue to function nominally.