AAC Clyde Space is working on a 3-year project named xSPANCION, as part of the European Space Agency (ESA) ARTES Pioneer programme, to develop an innovative satellite constellation service, including the manufacturing of 10 spacecraft as part of our initial deployment.
AAC Clyde Space and its partners have agreed to move into the final phase of the xSPANCION project the demonstration phase. This will begin with a phase 3A focused on scaling constellation production capacity and delivering data services to users. This value of this phase is 3.3 MEUR (approx. 35.8 MSEK), of which the UK Space Agency, through the ESA’s Pioneer Partnership Projects, will contribute 1.6 MEUR (approx. 17.9 MSEK).
The 3-year project aims to develop an innovative satellite constellation service. The full third and final phase of the project includes the manufacturing of 10 novel spacecraft and the launch of 4 demonstration spacecraft. The phase 3A now initiated, includes satellite platform qualification, scaling production capacity with increased automation and the development of cloud-based software for delivery of data services to users.
“The project is on track to catalyze a new generation of applications not previously possible, appealing to both new and existing customers. We are engaged in dialogues with selected customers for whom the project’s Space Data as a Service offering holds the promise of improving life on Earth”, says AAC Clyde Space CEO Luis Gomes.
Once customer agreements are finalized, a phase 3B is expected to commence in which the project will be completed in Q3 2024 with the manufacture, launch and in-orbit operations activities. The value of phase 3B is 9.0 MEUR (approx. 99.3 MSEK).
The xSPANCION project is structured as a Public Private Partnership, in which AAC Clyde Space and its partners, Bright Ascension Ltd., the University of Strathclyde, D-Orbit UK, Alden Legal UK and the Satellite Applications Catapult are working in partnership with the UK Space Agency and the European Space Agency to develop a Space Data as a Service offering. The total value of the project is 19.7 MEUR (approx. 201.7 MSEK) which is co-funded by the UK Space Agency, through ESA’s Pioneer Partnership Projects, with 9.9 MEUR (approx. 100.9 MSEK). The funding from UK Space Agency is recognized as revenue with no net margin while AAC Clyde Space and its partners are co-funding the other half.
The first phase of the project up to Preliminary Design Review was completed in autumn 2021. The spacecraft manufacturing preparation phase, called phase 2 and valued at 5.6 MEUR (approx. 57.3 MSEK), continues in parallel with phase 3 as planned.