Bright Ascension Ltd. has confirmed that the firm’s six, latest, GenerationOne flight software deployments were launched onboard the Transporter-6 SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on January 3, 2023, taking the company’s current total to 39 spacecraft on-orbit.
The satellites, developed by Innovative Solutions In Space B.V. (ISISPACE) in the Netherlands and AAC Clyde Space in Scotland, comprise the highest number of Bright Ascension’s software deployments launched on a single rocket, to date.
The cluster of four spacecraft, built by ISISPACE for Kleos Space’s Observer Mission (KSF3), is expected to increase the data collection capacity of its previously launched KSF1 and KSF2 missions. Kleos Space’s satellites detect and geolocate radio frequency transmissions to deliver a global picture of hidden maritime activity for enhanced intelligence capability.
Bright Ascension provided onboard software for the four spacecraft in the KSF3 cluster, using the firm’s software products to keep development time short within tight project timelines.
The first Kelpie satellite , owned and developed by AAC Clyde Space, will deliver data to the U.S. company ORBCOMM Inc. under an exclusive Space Data as a Service (SDaaS) deal. It is expected to be followed by the launch of a second Kelpie satellite in the first half of 2023.
In addition to onboard software technology, all of the aforementioned satellites will make full use of Bright Ascension’s Mission Control Software and its seamless integration with the flight software.
The remaining spacecraft powered by Bright Ascension’s software onboard the SpaceX rocket is an undisclosed mission, which the client cannot publicize at this time.
“The SpaceX Transporter 6 has been our busiest launch so far, carrying six spacecraft to orbit with our software deployments,” said Peter Mendham, CEO at Bright Ascension. “These satellites have a very diverse range of applications with specialised and cutting edge payloads and hardware onboard, yet they all run on our software technology as it is designed to quickly and easily adapt to any mission – no matter how unique, advanced or complex it is. What’s more, being component-based, it takes full advantage of software re-use allowing us to work on a high number of missions simultaneously and achieve fantastic results in record time.”