Quantum Research International and Adcole Maryland Aerospace Announces Successful Launch of Kestrel Eye Block II Satellite

Sept. 6, 2017

Quantum Research International, Inc. and their teammate Adcole Maryland Aerospace (AMA) announced that the Kestrel Eye Block II satellite is now aboard the International Space Station after it was successfully launched from the Kennedy Space Center on a SpaceX Falcon 9. The microsatellite is the first test article of an envisioned Army constellation to provide soldiers on the ground enhanced situational awareness via connection with imaging satellites in space. Astronauts aboard the ISS will deploy the satellite into orbit in the coming months.The successful launch of the Kestrel Eye satellite is a major milestone for these two companies as well as the US Army Space and Missile Defense Command (USASMDC) / Army Forces Strategic Command (ARSTRAT) and the DOD space enterprise as a whole. Developed under Quantum's prime contract, Concepts and Operations for Space and Missile Defense Integration and Capabilities (COSMIC) Task Order 1407, this class of small, inexpensive, and yet highly capable satellite is expected to make space cheaper and more accessible while simultaneously enhancing resiliency and flexibility in future space architectures.

"Completion of Kestrel Eye was a team effort working with USASMDC/ARSTRAT and Maryland Aerospace over multiple task orders under our COSMIC contract.  With the launch complete, we now look forward to the successful deployment into orbit," said Frank Pitts, Quantum President and CEO.

"Kestrel Eye has come a long way since our first briefing to DARPA several years ago," said Steve Fujikawa, Chief Technology Officer of AMA. Steve Fujikawa and George Sebestyen of Maryland Aerospace originally conceived of Kestrel Eye and won support for a DARPA study. The program later transitioned from DARPA to USASMDC.

"Kestrel Eye Block II is consistent with the evolving Space Enterprise Vision, a major initiative to incorporate low-cost micro and nanosatellites into our national space infrastructure to enhance affordability, resiliency, and technology refresh," said Glen Cameron, President of AMA.

Kestrel Eye Block II is designed to meet the increasing demand for enhanced space capability in times of limited budgets. The superior affordability of end-to-end microsatellite space solutions, from idea to orbit, will help both government agencies and private industry realize their mission goals in an accelerated timeframe at a fraction of the cost of traditional space systems.