Archives for April 2023

Sateliot has launched Sateliot_0 “The GroundBreaker,” the first, 5G standard, LEO satellite for access to the Internet of Things (IoT). The launch occurred during the SpaceX Falcon 9 Transporter-7 mission from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.

The GroundBreaker is the first of a 250 LEO satellite constellation that will operate as cell towers from space. Users can seamlessly switch from a terrestrial to a non-terrestrial 5G network with no need to purchase any extra hardware, such as antennas or modems. Users can also continue to use their current sim cards and mobile operators, thanks to the standard roaming agreements carried out by Sateliot.

The GroundBreaker can cover an area three times as large as Texas and takes approximately 90 minutes to complete a full Earth orbit. The satellite has an onboard module that allows direct NB-IoT connection for any 5G device that supports Rel 17 NTN. This means that a single satellite can provide global coverage and retrieve key information from the surface for commercial usage, impacting on the efficiency of hundreds of industries.

The technology will provide surveillance services to maritime, railway, aeronautics and automobiles, for instance, saving billions on lost cargo, and will also grant 43 million Americans access to safe, potable water from private wells and rivers, preventing contamination and flooding, or connecting cattle for livestock management to prevent sickness and thefts, among other applications.

The company has closed agreements with global telecommunications operators and companies and already has a sales pipeline of over 1.2 billion euros. The goal is to reach 1 billion euros on billing and a 370 million euros EBITDA by 2026.

UPDATE: On Friday, April 14 at 11:48 p.m. PT, Falcon 9 launched Transporter-7, SpaceX’s seventh dedicated smallsat rideshare program mission, from Space Launch Complex 4E at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The launch cost is $52,000,000 ($52 Million)

This was the tenth launch and landing of this Falcon 9 stage booster, which previously supported the launch of Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich, DART, and seven Starlink missions. On board this flight were 51 spacecraft including CubeSats, MicroSats, hosted payloads and orbital transfer vehicles.

Space Exploration Technologies Corp., or SpaceX, an American aerospace manufacturer and space transport services company was founded in 2002 and is headquartered in Hawthorne, California. Its founder, entrepreneur Elon Musk’s, plan is to curtail space transportation costs and enable the colonization of Mars.

The company has pads at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and LC-39A at Kennedy Space Center located in the U.S.’ East Coast, and SLC-4E at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, which is usually for polar launches. Another launch site is being developed at Boca Chica, Texas.

Previously: The launch director for the Transporter-7 launch called a ‘hold’ on this mission at T-00:28 seconds due to weather constraints. Another attempt to launch this mission will occur on 4/14/23 at 11:47 p.m.

SpaceX is now targeting no earlier than Thursday, April 13th., at 11:47 p.m. PT (06:47 UTC on April 14) for Falcon 9’s launch of the Transporter-7 mission to LEO from Space Launch Complex 4E (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.

The first stage booster supporting this mission previously launched Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich, DART, and seven Starlink missions.

Following stage separation, Falcon 9 will land on Landing Zone 4 (LZ-4) at Vandenberg Space Force Base.

Transporter-7 is SpaceX’s seventh, dedicated, smallsat rideshare mission. There will be 51 payloads on this flight, including CubeSats, MicroSats, hosted payloads, and orbital transfer vehicles carrying spacecraft that will be deployed at a later time.

A live webcast of this mission will start about 10 minutes prior to liftoff.

Possible payload list for the Transporter 7 mission… there are also two unspecified smallsats within this payload, as well…

Aarhus University, Denmark
DISCO-1 (1U)

Aerospace Corporation
LLITED A/B (2x 1.5U)

Alba Orbital
Cluster 7

ARCA, Italy
REVELA (3U)
SMPOD03 (hosted payload — 3U deployer)

AstroForge
Brokkr-1 (6U)

D-Orbit
ION

Exolaunch (21 satellites, 16 cubesat, 5 microsat)
Bronco Space (at Cal Poly Pomona)
GomSpace
FACSAT-2 (Colombian Air Force-(6U, Colombian Air Force, GomSpace bus)
EnduroSat
TAIFA-1 (3U, SayariLabs [Kenya]
Sateliot-0
(Platform-3)
ISILAUNCH
on behalf of Orbital Solutions Monaco (OSM) + Laboratoire
Athmosphères
Kenya Space Agency with SayariLabs + EnduroSat
NanoAvionics
DEWA SAT-2 (6U, DEWA, UAE)
Observations Spatiales (LATMOS)
Plan-S
Connecta T2.1 (6U)
SSS-2B
Spire Global
Space Flight Laboratory
NORSAT-TD (~40kg, Space Flight Laboratory for Norwegian Space Agency)
Stanford Student Space Initiative
Sapling-2
TÜBİTAK UZAY
IMECE (800 kg., TÜBİTAK UZAY, Turkey)
Unseenlabs
BRO-9 (6U)

GHGSat
GHGSat-C6/C7/C8 (3x 15k g.)

Hawkeye 360
Cluster 7 (3x 33 kg.)

InspireSat 7
(2U, Latmos)

ISILaunch
IRIS-C (3U, NCKU, Taiwan)

Istanbul
(1P, Hello Space)

Kepler Space
Kepler (2x 6U)

KILICSAT
(3U, Turkey)

LEMUR-2
ONREFLECTION
ROMEO-N-LEO
SPACEGUS

Maverick

Momentus
Vigoride VR-6

Orbital Sidekick
GHOSt (2x microsat)

Orbital Solutions Monaco
RoseyCubesat-1 (1U, ISIS platform)

RomSpace, Romania
ROM-2 (1P)

Satellogic
NewSat 36-39 (4x microsat)

Solar Array
(hosted payload)

Spire Global
(2x 6U for customers, 1x 3U)

Technical University of Budapest, Hungary
MRC-100 (3P)

Tomorrow.io
Tomorrow-R1 (85 kg)

Umbra
Umbra-06

University of Colorado Denver
CIRBE (3U, CU Boulder/LASP)

VIREO
(3U, C3S, Hungary)

Two undisclosed smallsats

Kepler Communications recently raised $92 million in Series C funding led by IA Ventures — since 2016, the company has raised more than $200 million in equity, with support from Costanoa Ventures, Canaan Partners, Tribe Capital, BDC Capital’s Industrial Innovation Venture Fund, and other leading investors.

With this funding, Kepler will launch an optical data, relay infrastructure in 2024, complementing the company’s existing RF network. Kepler’s optical communications infrastructure will use two, near-orthogonal planes of relay satellites in SSO, with satellites in each plane continuously connected using SDA-compatible, optical inter-satellite links. Optical services will be operational and available to customers by Q1 2025.

The Kepler Network will streamline on-orbit communications with a network infrastructure designed to act as Internet Exchange Points (IXP) for space-to-space data relay. The Internet-ready constellation will deliver data to and from spacecraft in real time, enabling high-speed data relay through SDA-standard optical terminals.

The company plans to launch two Pathfinder satellites in the Fall of 2023, testing and validating optical communication technology developed for the Kepler constellation. The company’s newest satellites build on the flight heritage of its existing constellation, totaling 21 satellites after the launch of two additional spacecraft in mid-April of 2023.

Kepler offers customers a service-level agreement (SLA), and a turnkey solution to satisfy the complete communications requirements of a mission. The agreement includes communications payloads for both optical and RF, spectrum licenses, security, ground infrastructure, and edge computing.

“Exponentially decreasing launch costs make space more accessible than ever, but connectivity beyond Earth is still costly, challenging, and inconsistent. The Kepler Network solves this by providing a fast, open, developer-friendly network enabling ‘it-just-works’ connectivity between any asset in space and back to Earth—and someday to Mars and beyond! With proven customer demand for their high-speed optical network, we are excited to lead this funding round to enable Kepler to continue its rapid growth and achieve profitability.” — Brad Gillespie, general partner at IA Ventures

“Since our foundation, Kepler has been dedicated to enabling the future of space communications; working tirelessly to create the infrastructure needed for real-time, always-available access to space assets. As we build out The Kepler Network, we are solving challenges the industry faces and simplifying mission communications by bringing modern Internet capabilities into space. Internet services on Earth completely transformed civilization, and we believe extending the Internet to space will have the same far-reaching impact.” — Mina Mitry, chief executive officer for Kepler

Momentus Inc. (NASDAQ: MNTS), on April 14th., launched their third, Vigoride Orbital Service Vehicle (OSV) to LEO aboard the SpaceX Transporter-7 mission — the company established contact with the Vigoride vehicle and confirmed that both solar arrays are deployed and the vehicle is generating power and the batteries are charging.

The Vigoride-6 mission is delivering two satellites to a custom orbit for the NASA LLITED mission. Momentus will use their Electrothermal Thruster (MET) propulsion technology that uses water as a propellant to change the orbital inclination of the Vigoride OSV to support these deliveries.

Other payloads on the mission include the REVELA payload for ARCA Dynamics, the VIREO CubeSat for C3S LLC., the DISCO-1 CubeSat for Aarhus University, and the IRIS-C payload for an Asian customer booked through ISILAUNCH.

The Tape Spring Solar Array (TASSA) technology features large sheets of flexible solar cells bonded to tape springs. To stow, they are tightly coiled around a mandrel. After launch, motors unroll the mandrel, deploying the solar array. Momentus aims to drive down vehicle production costs and streamline on-orbit operations, while reducing the cost of power for the satellite, with this technology once operational.

The launch of the Vigoride-6 vehicle marks the third spacecraft on-orbit for Momentus. The Company launched its inaugural mission, Vigoride-3, in May 2022 and deployed eight satellites to orbit from Vigoride and a third-party deployer. The Vigoride-5 spacecraft, launched in January, is providing hosted payload support for Caltech’s Space-based Solar Power Project payload and deploying a satellite with the Qosmosys Zeus-1 payload. The Vigoride-5 mission also marked a significant milestone for the Company as its MET system successfully completed initial in-space testing.

With the launch of the Vigoride-6 OSV, Momentus will enter a new phase operating two spacecraft in orbit concurrently as the Company continues to grow its capabilities.

“Vigoride-6 will be the most complex mission of our Vigoride OSV to date as we must achieve significant Delta-V with our MET propulsion system in order to deliver NASA’s payloads to custom orbits. In addition to providing orbital delivery services for our customers, we’re hosting a Momentus technology demonstration of a new kind of solar array.” — Momentus Chief Executive Officer, John Rood

Exolaunch successfully deployed 21 satellites on SpaceX’s Transporter-7 mission. The mission was launched using a SpaceX Falcon 9 on April 1th4 at 11:48 p.m., PT, from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, USA. This is the 19th mission in Exolaunch’s flight heritage, bringing it to a well-rounded 290 satellites launched and taking the Company ever closer to the 300 satellites milestone.

On its second Transporter mission this year, Exolaunch launched a combined mass of more than 550 kilograms for multiple international customers hailing from the USA, Canada, the United Kingdom, Norway, Turkey, Spain, France, the Netherlands, Bulgaria, Monaco, Lithuania, Denmark, Argentina, Colombia, the UAE and Kenya.

In total, Exolaunch safely delivered 16 CubeSats and 5 microsatellites carrying various Earth Observation (EO) and comms payloads into SSO above an altitude of 500 km. During the flight, all customer satellites separated seamlessly from the Falcon 9 upper stage via Exolaunch’s EXOpod and EXOpod Nova CubeSat deployers as well as the company’s CarboNIX microsatellite separation systems.

This mission’s manifest is posted below.

Exolaunch fully managed the missions of all customer satellites clustered on a Falcon 9 launch port, and supplied hardware, integration, and deployment services for Satellogic on another port. All these satellites were mounted on two EXOport multi-satellite adapters, including the brand-new Europa-type which is capable of mounting no less than 6 different separation systems. Transporter-7 marks the maiden flight of the EXOport Europa on Falcon 9.

Since the beginning of SpaceX’s dedicated rideshare program in 2021, Exolaunch has been using the EXOport adapters to mount and optimally cluster satellites on a single Falcon 9 rideshare port for superior cost effectiveness. The Company will bring this extensive experience to the upcoming Rideshare Plates being introduced by SpaceX for future Transporter missions.

Exolaunch provides capacity for its customers on Falcon 9 rideshare missions under a Multi-Launch Agreement (MLA) with SpaceX first signed in 2020 and since expanded to include new missions. Under the terms of the MLA, Exolaunch provides turnkey mission management, testing, integration services as well as its industry-leading separation systems.

Exolaunch is on track to deliver its fastest-paced launch schedule in 10 years, having manifested a quickly-broadening scope of international customers on all upcoming SpaceX Transporter missions this year, as well as providing mission management and deployment systems across multiple new launch vehicles.

“The Transporter program has become emblematic of the diversity and affordability of NewSpace, and Exolaunch is proud to help drive a more democratic and streamlined access-to-space architecture. Our talented team always rises to the opportunity of launching new customers, going so far as designing custom hardware solutions for each of them. You can see this with EXOport Europa, whose first launch on Transporter-7 is a testament to our commitment to customer success.” — Connor Pollock, Mission Director at Exolaunch

“It is a privilege to fly with such prestigious customers on Transporter-7 and we are especially proud to accompany and stand alongside emerging space nations as they take their historic first steps in orbit. Through our work on rideshare launches, Exolaunch has the chance to bring together the entire NewSpace value chain and take them across the finish line.” — Jeanne Allarie, VP Launch at Exolaunch

Complete mission Exolaunch manifest

• THE COLOMBIAN AIR FORCE (FUERZA AÉREA COLOMBIANA) AND GOMSPACE, FACSAT-2 FACSAT-2, dubbed “Chiribiquete”, was deployed using EXOpod Nova for the Colombian Air Force, a new government customer. FACSAT-2 is a 6U EO satellite built by GomSpace.

• KENYA SPACE AGENCY WITH SAYARILABS AND ENDUROSAT, TAIFA-1
  TAIFA-1 was deployed using EXOpod Nova for the Kenya Space Agency and SayariLabs, a new governmental customer and an emerging space nation. TAIFA-1 is a 3U satellite built by EnduroSat and SayariLabs, and is Kenya’s first Earth observation mission intended to provide disaster prevention and mitigation capabilities.

• SPACE FLIGHT LABORATORY ON BEHALF OF THE NORWEGIAN SPACE AGENCY, NORSAT-TD NorSat-TD was deployed using EXOport Europa for the Norway Space Agency. The NorSat-TD microsatellite is designed for Earth observation and technology testing and was built by Space Flight Laboratory, a well-known Canadian small satellite manufacturer with an extensive track record.

• BRONCO SPACE, PLEIADES-YEARLING
  Pleiades-Yearling was deployed using EXOpod Nova for Bronco Space at Cal Poly Pomona, a new customer from academia. Pleiades-Yearling is a 1U CubeSat that will test open-source CubeSat architecture and features a radiation detector demonstration payload.

• STANFORD STUDENT SPACE INITIATIVE, SAPLING GIGANTEUM
  Sapling Giganteum was deployed using an EXOpod Nova for the Stanford Student Space Initiative at Stanford University, a new academic customer. Sapling Giganteum is a 1U CubeSat destined to test open-source subsystems and to demonstrate the validity of the affordable COTS Google Coral Edge computing platform whilst providing students with invaluable hands-on experience.

• TÜBITAK UZAY, SSS-2B
  SSS-2B was deployed using EXOpod Nova for TÜBITAK UZAY, a Turkish applied research, technology development, and application-oriented institute developing indigenous subsystems for higher resolution remote sensing satellites. SSS-2B is a 3U CubeSat that will demonstrate and validate various subsystems and hosts a double Earth observation and radiation dosimeter payload.

• ISILAUNCH ON BEHALF OF ORBITAL SOLUTIONS MONACO (OSM) AND THE LABORATOIRE ATMOSPHÈRES, OBSERVATIONS SPATIALES (LATMOS), ROSEYCUBESAT-1 AND INSPIRE-SAT-7
  ROSEYCUBESAT-1 and INSPIRE-SAT 7 were deployed using EXOpod Nova for ISILAUNCH on behalf of OSM and LATMOS, respectively. ISILAUNCH, a fellow launch aggregator, manifested both satellites with Exolaunch. The satellites were built by the satellite manufacturer ISISPACE. ROSEYCUBESAT-1 is a 1U CubeSat with a camera payload intended for didactic purposes and INSPIRE-SAT-7 is a 2U in-orbit demonstrator intended to test EO CubeSats constellations in orbit.

• ENDUROSAT ON BEHALF OF SATELIOT, 2B5GSAT
  2B5GSAT, dubbed “Groundbreaker”, was deployed using EXOpod for returning Bulgarian customer EnduroSat, on behalf of Spain-based Sateliot. 2B5GSAT features an in-orbit demonstration payload of an Internet of Things (IoT) communications system integrated in EnduroSat’s standard 6U XL platform bus.

• SPIRE GLOBAL, KAUST, FINDUSADLER-2, + GNSS-4
  Kaust, FindusAdler-2 and GNSS-4 were deployed using EXOpod Nova for Spire Global, a long-standing customer and a leading global provider of space-based data, analytics and space services delivered by one of the largest multipurpose satellite constellations in the world. Kaust hosts a hyperspectral camera with advanced on-board processing capabilities in combination with Spire’s Global Navigation Satellite System-Reflectometry (GNSS-R) sensor payload that will collect intelligence on soil moisture. FindusAdler-2 is a 6U nanosatellite that hosts three payloads to detect and track orbital debris and perform air quality measurements around the globe. Finally, GNSS-4 expands on Spire’s data solution constellation with GNSS sensors to gather precise data about the Earth’s atmosphere, including measurements on temperature, humidity, and precipitation, as well as ionospheric electron density.

• KONGSBERG NANOAVIONICS ON BEHALF OF THE DUBAI ELECTRICITY AND WATER AUTHORITY (DEWA) AND AN UNDISCLOSED CUSTOMER
  DEWASAT-2 AND LS2f DEWASAT-2 and LS2f were deployed using EXOpod Nova for returning customer Kongsberg NanoAvionics on behalf of DEWA and another undisclosed customer. DEWASAT-2 is a 6U spacecraft destined to collect multispectral imagery of the UAE region in order to monitor water quality and conduct solar park monitoring. LS2f is a 3U satellite. Both satellites were built by Kongsberg NanoAvionics, a nanosatellite bus manufacturer and mission integrator with end-to-end solutions ranging from constellations to single missions.

• UNSEENLABS, BRO-9
  BRO-9 was deployed using EXOpod for Unseenlabs, a French leading provider in radio frequency (RF) data and solutions for Maritime Domain Awareness. BRO-9 is a 6U satellite operated by UNSEENLABS and dedicated to the monitoring of electromagnetic emissions from space. The mission extends the UNSEENLABS satellite constellation by putting another BRO-9 satellite in orbit.

• PLAN-S SATELLITE AND SPACE TECHNOLOGIES, CONNECTA-T2.1
  ConnectaT2.1 was deployed using EXOpod Nova for Plan-S, a returning Turkish customer and the country’s largest private initiative in space, specializing in mission computers, communications subsystems, and ground interfaces in satellite systems. Connecta-T2.1 is 6U satellite hosting a ground observation and an onboard data processing payload.

• ORBASTRO, ORBASTRO-AF-1
  OrbAstro-AF-1 was deployed using EXOpod Nova for OrbAstro, a British customer focused on compressing the upfront cost and lead-time for companies to go to market with powerful in-orbit infrastructure. OrbAstro-AF-1 is a 6U spacecraft built for AstroForge.

• SATELLOGIC, NEWSAT-36 + NEWSAT-39
  NewSat-36 through -39 were deployed using CarboNIX for Satellogic, an Argentinian leader in fully automated and affordable Earth observation platforms with the ability to remap the entire planet at both high-frequency and high-resolution. The NewSat Mark V microsatellites launched on Transporter-7 carry high-resolution sub-meter, multispectral imagery and join the growing constellation of NewSats in orbit.

EPICHyper-1, a 6U AAC Clyde Space EPIC VIEW satellite (image above), was successfully launched on the SpaceX Transporter 7 mission on April 15, 2023. The satellite will deliver Earth Observation (EO) data to Canadian company Wyvern Inc., under an exclusive Space Data as a Service (SDaaS) deal and is planned to be followed by the launch of a further two, 6U satellites during 2023. 

The satellite lifted off on the Falcon 9 rocket on April 14, 2023 from the Space Launch Complex 4E in Vandenberg, California. The Transporter 7 mission is a dedicated rideshare flight to SSO with dozens of smallsats for commercial and government customers.

The project leverages a SDaaS model in which AAC Clyde Space owns and operates the three satellites under a GBP 8.4 million (approx. SEK 108 million) contract signed in 2021. After the first four years, the contract can be extended on an annual basis.

The satellites will generate revenue for AAC Clyde Space once they start to deliver data. This first satellite is expected to start delivering data during the second quarter of 2023. The other two satellites under the contract are expected to be delivered and launched in 2023. 

Once deployed, the satellite will add significantly to AAC Clyde Space’s SDaaS revenue, thereby representing yet another significant milestone for the Group. It follows the launch in January 2023 of the first of two satellites dedicated to delivering AIS data to ORBCOMM, also under a SDaaS model, supporting the Group’s shift towards a recurring revenue model.

“We are delighted to confirm the successful launch of the satellite and are looking forward to our second significant SDaaS project starting to deliver data, this time enabling smarter farming. The transformation of AAC Clyde Space continues.” — AAC Clyde Space CEO Luis Gomes. 

By the end of 2023, AAC Clyde Space is expected to own a total of 11 satellites dedicated to delivering data from space, a number that is planned to increase further over the coming years.

Space Flight Laboratory (SFL) participated in the launch of nine satellites from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California — the SpaceX Transporter-7, ride-sharing mission carried the SFL-designed smallsat platforms into orbit for four different, repeat customers.

The Transporter-7 launch included:

• HawkEye 360 Cluster 7, based on SFL’s 30 kg DEFIANT platform, is comprised of three formation-flying, radio frequency geolocating microsatellites integrated at HawkEye 360 Inc.’s U.S. facility under SFL’s Flex Production program. SFL was selected for the HawkEye 360 Constellation mission after the successful launch of the HawkEye 360 Pathfinder cluster in 2018 demonstrating SFL’s advanced formation flying technology for multiple satellites – crucial for successful RF geolocation. SFL built Clusters 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 on its 30-kg DEFIANT bus at the SFL Toronto headquarters. Under the Flex Production program, HawkEye 360 integrated Cluster 7 at its own newly built manufacturing facility with technical guidance from SFL.

• Three, next-generation greenhouse gas monitoring microsatellites, known as GHGSat-C6, C7 and C8, built by SFL on its 15-kg NEMO platform for GHGSat Inc. of Montreal, Canada. SFL built and launched the pathfinding GHGSat-D (“Claire”) atmospheric monitoring microsatellite for GHGSat Inc. in 2016, followed by GHGSat-1, -2, -3, -4 and -5 over the next six years. Successful detection of ground-based methane emissions from space is due in part to the precise attitude control and target tracking capability of the SFL NEMO bus. With this most recent successful launch, GHGSat’s commercial greenhouse gas monitoring constellation now totals nine microsatellites providing widespread coverage.

• NorSat-TD microsatellite built by SFL for the Norwegian Space Agency on SFL’s DEFIANT platform to carry multiple advanced or experimental payloads. NorSat-TD is the seventh satellite developed by SFL for the Norwegian Space Agency (NOSA). NorSat-TD represents impressive technological collaboration among several European nations. Multiple advanced or experimental payloads, including satellite collision avoidance and iodine-fueled electric propulsion, will see their first applications in orbit aboard this microsatellite.

• Commercial communications CubeSats developed using the SFL 6U-XL SPARTAN design for a Toronto-based company. The two communications CubeSats were assembled by the client at its own facility in Toronto using the SFL SPARTAN platform under the Flex Production program.

Dating from 1998, SFL’s 25-year heritage of on-orbit successes includes 69 operational missions, with an additional 21 under development or awaiting launch. Customized payloads include a wide range of applications related to Earth Observation (EO), atmospheric monitoring, ship tracking, communication, radio frequency (RF) geolocation, technology demonstration, space astronomy, solar physics, space plasma, and other scientific research.

“These launches demonstrate SFL’s unmatched ability to deliver quality at price points that are cost effective for both commercial and research missions. SFL is a unique microspace provider that offers a complete suite of nano-, micro- and small satellites that incorporate advanced technology to expand application possibilities for a lower cost.” — SFL Director, Dr. Robert E. Zee

Throughout its history, SFL has developed small satellites, microsatellites, and nanosatellites that have achieved more than 235 cumulative years of operation in orbit. These microspace missions have included SFL’s trusted, attitude control and, in some cases, formation-flying capabilities. Other core SFL-developed components include modular (scalable) power systems, onboard radios, flight computers, and control software.

HawkEye 360 Inc.’s Cluster 7 nexgen smallsats have successfully been deployed to orbit after launching aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California during the Transporter-7 mission — comms with the satellites has been established by the company’s operations team.

The successful launch of the Cluster 7 trio further expands HawkEye 360’s constellation to 21 satellites with extended and improved data collection in the 15-18 GHz range, first introduced in on Cluster 6 launched January 2023.

This launch expands collections of RF signals in support of HawkEye 360’s broad range of radar and communications signals across land and sea. The expanded collection of RF signals and revisit rates provides increased situational awareness into an array of activities, including early-warning radars, military activities, maritime domain awareness, radio communications, and indicators of RF interference, important to our customers’ success.

“We are pleased to report that our Cluster 7 satellites have deployed to orbit following another successful launch. The continued expansion of our RF-sensing satellite constellation enables us to more quickly and accurately reveal global activities to make the world a safer and more secure place.” — HawkEye 360 CEO, John Serafini

“This latest launch broadens our collection capabilities around the globe, allowing us to meet the persistently high demand for our RF analytics. We are grateful to SEOPS for providing integration support for our team on this mission.” — HawkEye 360 COO, Rob Rainhart

UPDATE: On Friday, April 14 at 11:48 p.m. PT, Falcon 9 launched Transporter-7, SpaceX’s seventh dedicated smallsat rideshare program mission, from Space Launch Complex 4E at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The launch cost is $52,000,000 ($52 Million)

This was the tenth launch and landing of this Falcon 9 stage booster, which previously supported the launch of Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich, DART, and seven Starlink missions. On board this flight were 51 spacecraft including CubeSats, MicroSats, hosted payloads and orbital transfer vehicles.

Space Exploration Technologies Corp., or SpaceX, an American aerospace manufacturer and space transport services company was founded in 2002 and is headquartered in Hawthorne, California. Its founder, entrepreneur Elon Musk’s, plan is to curtail space transportation costs and enable the colonization of Mars.

The company has pads at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and LC-39A at Kennedy Space Center located in the U.S.’ East Coast, and SLC-4E at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, which is usually for polar launches. Another launch site is being developed at Boca Chica, Texas.

Previously: The launch director for the Transporter-7 launch called a ‘hold’ on this mission at T-00:28 seconds due to weather constraints. Another attempt to launch this mission will occur on 4/14/23 at 11:47 p.m.

SpaceX is now targeting no earlier than Thursday, April 13th., at 11:47 p.m. PT (06:47 UTC on April 14) for Falcon 9’s launch of the Transporter-7 mission to LEO from Space Launch Complex 4E (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.

The first stage booster supporting this mission previously launched Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich, DART, and seven Starlink missions.

Following stage separation, Falcon 9 will land on Landing Zone 4 (LZ-4) at Vandenberg Space Force Base.

Transporter-7 is SpaceX’s seventh, dedicated, smallsat rideshare mission. There will be 51 payloads on this flight, including CubeSats, MicroSats, hosted payloads, and orbital transfer vehicles carrying spacecraft that will be deployed at a later time.

A live webcast of this mission will start about 10 minutes prior to liftoff.

Possible payload list for the Transporter 7 mission… there are also two unspecified smallsats within this payload, as well…

Aarhus University, Denmark
DISCO-1 (1U)

Aerospace Corporation
LLITED A/B (2x 1.5U)

Alba Orbital
Cluster 7

ARCA, Italy
REVELA (3U)
SMPOD03 (hosted payload — 3U deployer)

AstroForge
Brokkr-1 (6U)

D-Orbit
ION

Exolaunch (21 satellites, 16 cubesat, 5 microsat)
Bronco Space (at Cal Poly Pomona)
GomSpace
FACSAT-2 (Colombian Air Force-(6U, Colombian Air Force, GomSpace bus)
EnduroSat
TAIFA-1 (3U, SayariLabs [Kenya]
Sateliot-0
(Platform-3)
ISILAUNCH
on behalf of Orbital Solutions Monaco (OSM) + Laboratoire
Athmosphères
Kenya Space Agency with SayariLabs + EnduroSat
NanoAvionics
DEWA SAT-2 (6U, DEWA, UAE)
Observations Spatiales (LATMOS)
Plan-S
Connecta T2.1 (6U)
SSS-2B
Spire Global
Space Flight Laboratory
NORSAT-TD (~40kg, Space Flight Laboratory for Norwegian Space Agency)
Stanford Student Space Initiative
Sapling-2
TÜBİTAK UZAY
IMECE (800 kg., TÜBİTAK UZAY, Turkey)
Unseenlabs
BRO-9 (6U)

GHGSat
GHGSat-C6/C7/C8 (3x 15k g.)

Hawkeye 360
Cluster 7 (3x 33 kg.)

InspireSat 7
(2U, Latmos)

ISILaunch
IRIS-C (3U, NCKU, Taiwan)

Istanbul
(1P, Hello Space)

Kepler Space
Kepler (2x 6U)

KILICSAT
(3U, Turkey)

LEMUR-2
ONREFLECTION
ROMEO-N-LEO
SPACEGUS

Maverick

Momentus
Vigoride VR-6

Orbital Sidekick
GHOSt (2x microsat)

Orbital Solutions Monaco
RoseyCubesat-1 (1U, ISIS platform)

RomSpace, Romania
ROM-2 (1P)

Satellogic
NewSat 36-39 (4x microsat)

Solar Array
(hosted payload)

Spire Global
(2x 6U for customers, 1x 3U)

Technical University of Budapest, Hungary
MRC-100 (3P)

Tomorrow.io
Tomorrow-R1 (85 kg)

Umbra
Umbra-06

University of Colorado Denver
CIRBE (3U, CU Boulder/LASP)

VIREO
(3U, C3S, Hungary)

Two undisclosed smallsats