ReOrbit Signs
Contract with ESA InCubed programme for
Demonstration of In-orbit Satellite Autonomy and
Networking
ReOrbit is a provider of
satellites that can interconnect and autonomously
operate in orbit with minimal dependency of the
underlying hardware. As part of the demonstration of
ReOrbit’s in-orbit satellite autonomy and
networking, ReOrbit has signed a contract with the
European Space Agency (ESA) InCubed programme.
ReOrbit is targeting a
demonstration mission for digital docking of two
satellites, which allows
commercial satellite operators and manufacturers to
benefit from reduced time-to-orbit and
cost-to-orbit as well as reduced operational costs,
due to ReOrbit’s flexible and reconfigurable
flight software. The contract covering the first
phase of this mission, is titled “UKKO -
Development and Demonstration of Technologies for
Future Earth Observation (EO)
Satellites”. It focuses on technologies improving
overall satellite performance by bringing smart
services such as autonomous resource management and
flight control, FDIR, payload data management and an
API for application deployment.
ReOrbit is partnering with ESA
InCubed programme to build the Muon product, a
bundle which includes flight software together with
avionics, to act as the backbone of the spacecraft.
Similarly to what an operating
system does for computers or smartphones, the Muon
enables customers to focus on the application e.g.
for EO, without needing to care about the underlying
hardware layer that is connecting the application
and the satellite. The payload-agnostic Muon bundle
can be installed aboard any satellite, including
ReOrbit’s own full-fledged satellite bus Gluon. The
Muon bundle will be enabling a breadth of
capabilities, such as in-orbit connectivity and
networking, satellite autonomy, high fault tolerance
as well as autonomous fault recovery,
thus augmenting EO and other small satellite
missions.
Through ReOrbit’s software
first approach, satellite operators and
manufacturers serving communications and EO segments
can combine the reliability of classic space with
efficiency and flexibility of NewSpace through the
modularity of the ReOrbit software stack libraries
and API.
ReOrbit’s Founder & CEO, Sethu
Saveda Suvanam: “We are thrilled to work with the
experts of ESA to bring our satellite software to
market. Building capable satellites does not have to
take years and cost tens of millions of euros –
time-to-market is essential for today’s customers.
The contract between ESA InCubed programme and
ReOrbit validates not only our vision of redefing
the way we think of satellites, but also proves that
ReOrbit has the expertise and resources needed to
make “Intelligent Space” the next Finnish success
story.”
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