SSTL to work with UrtheCast on 16-satellite constellation
Surrey
Satellite
Technology
Ltd
(SSTL)
is
to
team
with
UrtheCast,
a
Canadian
Earth
Observation
company
traded
on
the
Toronto
Stock
Exchange
(TSX),
as
the
implementation
partner
for
the
forthcoming
Generation-3
constellation. This
announcement
follows
several
months
of
close
co-operation
between
the
SSTL
and
UrtheCast
teams
to
design
a
new
high
performance
low
earth
orbiting
platform
that
will
fulfill
the
requirements
of
UrtheCast.
This
agreement
exploits
SSTL’s
expertise
in
providing
innovative
low
cost
small
satellite
solutions.
SSTL
will
design
and
build
the
satellite
platforms
as
well
as
the
high
resolution
optical
imagers.
Patrick
Wood,
SSTL
Group
Managing
Director,
commented:
“The
dual
optical/radar
constellation
created
by
UrtheCast
will
be a
game
changer
for
the
Earth
Observation
market.
SSTL
is
ideally
placed
to
design
and
build
the
UrtheCast
satellites,
having
made
a
substantial
investment
in
new
automated
production
facilities
geared
to
constellation
manufacture.
As
strategic
partners
in
this
venture,
we
see
this
initiative
as a
perfect
marriage
that
exploits
SSTL’s
satellite
manufacturing
capacity
and
UrtheCast’s
downstream
data
services.”
Building
on
SSTL’s
credible
knowledge
and
experience
in
designing
constellations,
which
include
RapidEye,
the
Disaster
Monitoring
Constellation
and
more
recently
DMC3
and
Formosat
7,
the
‘design
for
manufacture’
approach
to
Generation
3
will
provide
a
common
platform
to
accommodate
both
optical
and
radar
payloads.
The
mission
will
be
designed
for
multiple-launch,
utilising
SSTL’s
expertise
in
working
with
low
cost
launch
providers.
Wade
Larson,
President
of
UrtheCast
said:
“We
are
very
impressed
with
SSTL’s
demonstrated
ability
to
design
and
build
complete
space
solutions
tailored
to
customer
needs.
Of
significance
is
the
experience
gained
by
SSTL
through
the
design
and
build
of
NovaSAR
which
has
established
SSTL
as
the
world
leader
in
affordable
SAR
solutions
and
makes
them
uniquely
qualified
to
manufacture
UrtheCast’s
cutting
edge
dual
band
SAR
design.
SAR
will
be a
key
component
of
our
constellation.”
NovaSAR
is
an
innovative
platform
being
built
by
SSTL
under
a UK
Government
grant
and
provides
a
new
benchmark
in
affordability
and
performance
for
responsive
spaceborne
radar.
The
Company’s
Guildford
UK
facilities
have
the
capacity
for
batch-build
and
a
unique
automated
test
capability
for
greater
manufacture
efficiency.
Earlier
this
month
six
spacecraft
were
shipped
for
international
customers
and
a
further
11
satellites
are
under
manufacture.
This
agreement
follows
an
earlier
contract
placed
on
SSTL
by
UrtheCast
for
the
provision
of
an
optical
imager
to
be
installed
on
the
International
Space
Station.
