The NEOSSat microsatellite is a dual mission space telescope which will perform asteroid detection and Space Situational Awareness (SSA) experiments on deep space satellites. NEOSSat was launched on 25 February 2013 into a 786 km dawn-dusk sun synchronous orbit and is currently undergoing satellite commissioning. The microsatellite consists of a 15cm aperture optical telescope, GPS receiver, high performance attitude control system, and stray light rejection baffle designed to suppress sunlight while pointing at solar elongations of 45 degrees along the ecliptic. The SSA experimental mission, referred to as HEOSS (High Earth Orbit Space Surveillance), will perform SSA experiments to characterize satellites and debris in deep space orbits primarily in GEO. The HEOSS mission objectives are to evaluate the utility of microsatellites to perform space-track catalog maintenance observations of resident space objects and to perform optical SSA experiments which are difficult to perform from the ground. NEOSSat offers the ability to conduct observations of satellites at high phase angles which can potentially extend the trackable portion of space in which deep space objects’ orbits can be monitored. This paper identifies some of the initial lessons learned during the initial checkout phase of the satellite prior to the primary SSA experiments to be conducted in 2013.