editorial

HawkEye 360 Inc. has debuted an RFIQ product that introduces flexible spectrum collection options — customers can use RFIQ unprocessed in-phase and quadrature (I/Q) data to analyze signal characteristics or survey RF activity over large regions of the Earth.

HawkEye 360 collects the broadest range of RF frequencies among commercial RF sensing satellite operators, with coverage as low as 70 MHz and as high as 18 GHz.

With RFIQ, customers gain access to a detailed spectral data set that supplements other collection approaches and improves their understanding of spectrum activity in regions of interest. Customers can optimize collections for specific needs, such as detecting and geolocating known emitters or discovering new signals within a wider spectral bandwidth. HawkEye 360 can collect signals across the VHF, UHF, L-, S-, C-, X-, and Ku-band frequencies.

RFIQ data is derived from HawkEye 360’s RF sensing constellation of satellites, which fly synchronously in clusters of three, enabling broad regional coverage and high geolocation accuracy. HawkEye 360 currently operates 21 satellites and is continuing to expand the constellation to address clients’ increasing demands for RF intelligence, with two more clusters expected to launch this Fall 2023 into a mid-latitude orbit.

“Our RFIQ product, combined with new collection modes and commercially available analytics tools, unlocks valuable insights into the RF spectrum across a country-wide footprint, giving our customers the ability to analyze a wide range of signals important to their mission. RFIQ provides the ultimate flexibility and insight into RF activities that our customers around the world require.” — Alex Fox, Chief Growth Officer,HawkEye 360

Ubotica Technologies is developing the infrastructure to extend the Mobile App Store ecosystem into space and unlock Live Earth Intelligence.

This new infrastructure will enable developers to easily deploy AI applications to satellites equipped with Ubotica’s CogniSAT technology. Opening space AI to developers will drive a surge in innovation, such as the transformative impact of the millions of applications built via the App Stores for mobile phones.

The ever-changing world contrasts sharply with today’s static EO methods. Traditional EO is akin to a Polaroid from the past—a singular, fixed moment requiring Earth-based post-processing to reveal an image. While valuable, EO today is inadequate for real-time decision-making in urgent situations like changes in the environment, natural disasters or security threats.

Enter SPACE:AI, a game-changing approach that transforms EO into actionable, Live Earth Intelligence. Replacing static snapshots, SPACE:AI delivers a continuous live stream of actionable insights processed onboard through advanced edge AI (eAI) technology. SPACE:AI can take in a broad range of inputs including optical, hyperspectral, and radar observations to create real-time insights. Inter-satellite communications ensure real-time delivery of these insights directly to individuals and systems on Earth.

Our goal is to unlock innovation.

With SPACE:AI, developers can deploy a wide range of innovative applications and models on satellites featuring Ubotica’s CogniSAT technology. The outcome is a wealth of proactive Live Earth Intelligence beneficial to humanity. This includes, for example, early detection of forest fires, monitoring methane emissions, identifying suspicious oil tanker activities in international waters, or alerting to potential dam breaches. With an open infrastructure and easy deployment, the innovation of the developer community can be unleashed to bring new applications that have not been conceived of as of this writing.

Ubotica Technologies has also unveiled a strategic partnership with IBM as part of building out the infrastructure to realize this vision. This collaboration uses IBM’s cloud infrastructure and watsonx.ai components to streamline the deployment process for developers aiming to run applications on satellites. With a single-click interface, developers can securely upload their AI models to satellites operating on Ubotica’s CogniSAT platform. These orbital AI applications will generate real-time autonomous decisions and insights in space, removing the need to downlink and process copious amounts of data on Earth. The initiative delivers significant capital and operational expenditure savings for satellite constellation operators and will foster innovation within the Space AI ecosystem.

This partnership provides mutual customers with a framework to deploy their Space AI Applications directly to CogniSAT on-board processing systems and forms part of Ubotica’s strategy to enable Space AI for all.

More details are available on this partnership blog post on IBM’s website.

Terran Orbital Corporation (NYSE: LLAP) has reported the successful deployment of 10 smallsats that incorporate the firm’s buses to LEO, following a September 2, 2023, launch from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.

These 10 satellites are part of the Tranche 0 Transport Layer of the Space Development Agency’s (SDA) Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture (PWSA). Terran Orbital manufactured the buses for Lockheed Martin for payload integration and delivery to SDA.

Currently, Terran Orbital is producing 42 satellite buses for Lockheed Martin, which will deliver 42 Tranche 1 Transport Layer satellites for SDA. These 42 satellites are scheduled to launch in 2024.

These satellites will have various capabilities, including optical communications links, Link-16 mission communications, a Ka-band RF communications payload, and a BMC3 module that enables on-orbit data processing. These features will support missions for global warfighters.

“It is a great honor to contribute to this important mission by delivering our 10 satellite buses to Lockheed Martin. We are thankful to Lockheed Martin for their collaboration and the opportunity to leverage our small satellite solution expertise and to support their missions.” — Marc Bell, Co-Founder, Chairman, and CEO, Terran Orbital.

Late last month, Rubicon Space Systems received a NASA contract to deliver ASCENT propulsion systems for use in a technology development effort to advance dual-mode propulsion.

Dual-mode propulsion (sometimes called multi-mode propulsion) is when both chemical and electric thrusters operate using the same propellant. The Sprite propulsion module uses the Advanced Spacecraft Energetic Non-Toxic Propellant (ASCENT) propellant. ASCENT monopropellant based propulsion provides missions with a high performance and low toxicity alternative to hydrazine. As ASCENT is an ionic liquid, it can be used in electric thrusters, as well. NASA will use the Sprite module for the chemical propulsion side of the demonstration but will also siphon propellant from it to feed several electric thrusters.

In development since early 2022, Sprite is a fully enclosed, plug-and-play propulsion system for SmallSats, and is also useful for collision avoidance and deorbit maneuvers. Sprite can deliver more than 1200 Ns of total impulse, the equivalent of 100 m/s of delta V to a 12U CubeSat, and features Rubicon’s flight qualified 0.1N thruster, fully integrated flight controller, and valves. Nearly all components have spaceflight heritage. The Sprite propulsion system passed its Critical Design Review (CDR) in December 2022 and its first four engineering development units (EDUs) are expected to complete qualification efforts in Q3 2023.

Over the next several months, Rubicon will complete structural qualification of the additively manufactured propellant tank and begin assembly of the protoflight unit.

The award, worth up to $645,000, is made through a Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) Phase III contract. The NASA technology project is led by NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) Science and Technology Office (STO), and is funded by NASA’s Small Spacecraft Technologies (SST) program in the agency’s Space Technology Mission Directorate.

“By March 2024, we will deliver the first flight ready Sprite module to our NASA customer. Dual-mode propulsion is considered the zenith of in-space propulsion. It’s the combination of high impulse and high efficiency in one package. It would allow spacecraft to move with agility and precision. We think this will be commonplace in the near future and the chance for us to be part of this work is terribly exciting for us. We’re glad to be working with NASA to continue innovation and infusion of ASCENT propulsion technologies”  — Daniel Cavender, Director of Propulsion, Rubicon Space Systems

Working with Network Innovations, OneWeb and Zixi, Open Broadcast Systems will deliver a live, broadcast quality video feed from the Network Innovations facility in Essel, Netherlands, to the IBC Show floor. This demo follows the company’s world-first use of OneWeb to deliver a UEFA Champions League match from the Faroe Islands in July.

In addition to the company’s RIST (Reliable Internet Stream Transport) implementation, the company is announcing an in-house, high performance, SRT (Secure Reliable Transport) protocol implementation. Built around modern, event-driven software development practices, the SRT implementation is interoperable with existing third-party solutions at very low CPU loads.

“It’s great to be able to demonstrate the power of OneWeb at IBC. OneWeb provides the global coverage of satellite with the flexibility of IP at the high and consistent data rates required for international sports transmissions. Our customers expect the most technically advanced and stable SRT implementation out there from our encoders and decoders so that they can deliver to SRT-capable endpoints. Our in-house implementation gives them unmatched confidence that they can interoperate with the wide range of SRT endpoints with the highest reliability.” — Kieran Kunhya, Founder and CEO, Open Broadcast Systems

LMO (Luxembourg & UK) and In-Space Missions Ltd. (UK) have partnered to explore the use of smallsat platforms for space-based, Space Domain Awareness (SDA) as part of LMO’s AUREA (Autonomous Recognition of Foreign Assets) program — In-Space Missions, a subsidiary of BAE Systems, will study the mission scope of a space-based SDA demonstrator smallsat with a software stack on the ground to demo end-user compatibility.

In-Space Missions will work with LMO and SDA end-users to define the mission requirements, characterize the constraints of the satellite platform and avionics, and identify any development gaps. The study will also identify and define Space Resident Objects (SROs) and orbits of interest, assess real time, on-edge processing needs as well as determine the number of satellites required to deliver LMO’s full, AUREA SDA service.  

The AUREA program will focus on multi-sensor and multi-modal technologies that include optical, LiDAR and radar instruments.  As part of the project, a simulator of the on-board computer will be delivered to LMO for full end-to-end testing of the software, paving the way for the launch of an AUREA SDA demo mission.     

AUREA is a dual-use development program for SDA with funding from Luxembourg’s Directorate of Defence to support the development of capabilities for Luxembourg and the nation’s European and NATO Allies, such as the UK. 

“Partnering with In-Space Missions will allow us to accelerate the validation process of our Protect and Defend architecture, and demonstrate our core SDA capability to end users within NATO and the Five Eyes.” — Michel Poucet, CEO, LMO

“At In-Space Missions, we recognize the importance of monitoring the Earth’s orbital environment and synthesizing an accurate picture of an increasingly contested space domain.  To ensure a secure future in space, the safety of our satellite assets, and the security of those people who depend on them for critical services, we will continue to develop capabilities around space domain awareness.  As an important step forward in growing these capabilities, In-Space is delighted to be working on this project with LMO – a company recognized as a domain leader in space domain awareness.” — Doug Liddle, CEO, In-Space Missions

“Space Domain Awareness is essential for informed decision-making and thus a priority for Luxembourg Directorate of Defence’s space strategy. We need innovative dual-use solutions with military and societal benefits. That was the very ambition of our first R&D call for proposals. As the AUREA program met all our expectations, it is one of the projects we will fund in the framework of the call.” — Colonel Guy Hoffman, National Armaments Director, Luxembourg

Swissto12 has secured a 26.15 million euros working capital facility from UBS Switzerland AG. The bank will provide Swissto12 with access to additional working capital to support the delivery of the company’s first HummingSat, Swissto12’s GEO smallsat.  

Since the company was founded in 2011, Swissto12 has raised more than 50 million euros in venture capital from prominent Swiss and European investors that have included Contantia New Business, Swisscom, Swisscanto and Zürcher Kantonal. In addition to the company’s growing Radio Frequency (RF) product and subsystem business, Swissto12’s partnership project with the European Space Agency (ESA) has gained more than 30 million euros of support to design the HummingSat platform, the first smallsat for GEO. 

In 2022, Swissto12 announced securing a deal to supply a HummingSat satellite to Intelsat, followed in May 2023 by a deal to supply three HummingSats to Inmarsat (acquired by Viasat in 2023). The company currently has more than 200 million euros in back orders from customers across the firm’s RF products and subsystems business, partnership with ESA and recent HummingSat contracts.

“Swissto12 is the first ever growth-stage company to sell a whole geostationary satellite to global satellite operators – testament to the uniquely transformative market potential of the HummingSat platform and the team’s technical and commercial acumen. Having generated over €200 million in customer orders, Swissto12 is also one of the few growth-stage companies able to secure a growth facility of this magnitude from a multinational bank such as UBS – the company is in a tremendously good position to reinvigorate the geostationary communications market on which billions of people depend for broadband, broadcast and safety services.” — Pär Lange, Partner, Swisscom Ventures

“As the Swiss Export Risk Insurance SERV, we are pleased to help enable this partnership between Swissto12 and UBS and support Swissto12 as it seizes new growth opportunities in the global satellite market.” — Peter Gisler, CEO, SERV

“This working capital facility with UBS gives us additional agility to execute on the manufacturing and delivery of our first HummingSat. Swissto12 is thereby creating a new class of agile, high performance SmallSat for geostationary orbit that is approximately three to five times smaller and lower cost than conventional geostationary satellites, while still reliably delivering critical services. We’re excited to build on customer demand from global satellite operators and national governments with our innovative geostationary communications satellites that will better connect and protect users worldwide.” — Emile de Rijk, Founder and CEO of Swissto12

Rogue Space Systems, creator of Orbots, autonomous AI robots, that provide in-space infrastructure and services, has successfully integrated their “Barry” (Barry-1) spacecraft into its deployer with partner Exolaunch — Barry-1 is now ready for transport to Vandenberg Space Force Base where it will be flying on the SpaceX Transporter-9 mission NET October 2023.

The completion of this integration marks the final steps for Rogue’s inaugural launch, gaining the company space heritage. The “Barry” spacecraft will test Rogue’s novel Scalable Compute Platform (SCP) and its ability to aggregate data from multiple sensors and process that data in real time. Rogue will also be testing a number of both internal and customer developed algorithms.

Also, on Barry-1, Rogue has some interesting customer hardware payloads. The Rogue team will be testing two, IVO Quantum Drives, propellant-less propulsion systems which, if successful (according to Rogue’s CRO Brent Abbott), “would revolutionize the space industry.” Rogue was contracted by IVO to ensure thorough in-space testing and validation.

As a first in a series of demonstrations and testing for their customers, Rogue has included “Massless Payload Hostings” on Barry-1. The team at Rogue has an additional hosting that will be announced once the smallsat has completed initial commissioning. In the past 18 months, Rogue has successfully delivered 14 SpaceWERX and AFWERX SBIR/STTR contracts, valued at more than $3.25 million.

“We are embarking on the in-space demonstration of Rogue’s novel technology. These technologies were developed contracts awarded through the SpaceWERX Orbital Prime Program.. Rogue has rapidly advanced multiple, essential technologies and is now achieving space heritage. This is the definitive milestone for any space startup. None of it would have been possible if not for our brilliant and driven team here at Rogue who overcame so many challenges to get here. Watching the team thrive in the face of those challenges was a genuinely humble experience. We look forward to Barry-1 in space, this is their moment. These guys have earned it.” — Jeromy Grimmett, Founder and CEO, Rogue