VESTA, a flagship project of the National Space Technology Program that is being funded by the UK Space Agency and managed by the Centre for EO Instrumentation and Space Technology (CEOI-ST), will now have the direct involvement of Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd. (SSTL) in the manufacture of this satellite platform.
The VESTA platform, computer generated image,
courtesy of SSTL.
SSTL has signed a contract with Honeywell to supply the VESTA satellite platform, which will be a technology demonstration mission that will test a new two-way VHF Data Exchange System (VDES) payload for the exactEarth advanced maritime satellite constellation. The contract was signed as part of an MOU between Honeywell Aerospace and the UK Space Agency.
VESTA is a new configuration of the SSTL-12 satellite platform, a product in SSTL’s scalable LEO platform that covers the 3 to 1000 kg range. The SSTL-12 provides a flexible mission solution offering more power, mass and payload capability than many other current offerings in this class and is ideally suited for missions of between 3 and 25 kg.
SSTL’s new NanoLab at the company’s Guildford facility will be where VESTA will be manufactured under a rapid-build schedule to meet a 2017 launch date. The platform will have 3-axis pointing capability, an SEU tolerant on-board computer, VxWorks operating system and an S-band transmitter and receiver. The design is compatible with a range of launch deployment systems for injection into orbit by Soyuz, Antares, Dnepr, Falcon-9, Atlas, Delta and Vega rockets.
In 2012, SSTL supplied the platform for exactView-1, the highest detection performance AIS satellite currently in orbit. exactEarth is pioneering space-based maritime information services, which include the highest performing, most widely accepted satellite AIS system increasing the range of vessel detection and providing real time monitoring of vessels throughout the World’s oceans.
The VESTA satellite will be the first smallsat to be manufactured in SSTL's NanoLab in Guildford, according to SSTL's Director of Telecommunications, Dr. John Paffett.
A Concentration of Smallsat Industry Expertise
SmallSat Symposium
February 6 through 8, 2017
Computer History Museum, Mountain View, CA
Within the smallsat community, those who hesitate in preparing for and planning their next business moves within this dynamic environment could well be "left behind."
To assist in acquiring the knowledge and expertise to enter and/or continue the acquisition of technology and product to become a successful smallsat actor, Satnews Publishers is delighted to announce that the SmallSat Symposium workshops will be held on February 6 and the conference will be conducted from February 7 to February 8, 2017, at the Computer History Museum, which is located at 1401 North Shoreline Boulevard in Mountain View, California.A veritable "Who's Who" of subject-matter experts have already committed to presentations during this impact-filled symposium:
Accepted Speakers To Date
- Chad Anderson, Managing Director—Space Angels Network
- Eric Anderson, President—And One Technologies
- Jason Andrews, CEO—Spaceflight Industries
- David A. Anhalt, Vice President and General Manager—Iridium PRIME
- Jenny Barna, Launch Manager—Spire Global, Inc
- Chris Baugh, President—NSR – Northern Sky Research
- Chris Boshuizen, Principle—Data Collective VC
- Peter Beck, CEO & CTO—Rocket Lab
- Dr, Sami BenAmor, Director of Marketing—Thales Alenia Space
- John Booher, Partner—Hogan Lovells
- Phil Carrai, President—Kratos Technology and Training Division
- Dr. Sean Casey, Managing Director—Silicon Valley Space Center
- Carissa Christensen, Managing Partner—The Tauri Group
- Craig Clark, Founder—Clyde Space Ltd.
- Mike Collett, Founder and Managing Partner—Promus Ventures
- James Crawford, Founder and CEO—Orbital Insight
- Randy Culver, CEO—AMERGINT Technologies
- Erik Daehler, Director Product Innovation Network & Space Systems—Boeing Network and Space Systems
- Stuart Daughtridge, Senior VP Advanced Technology—Kratos
- Tahara Dawkins, Director, Commercial Remote Sensing Regulatory Affairs Office—NOAA
- Chris DeMay, Founder and COO—HawkEye 360
- Dr. Lars Dyrud, CEO—OmniEarth
- Dr. Shahin Farshchi, Partner—Lux Capital
- Dr. Jenny Gautier, Director of Commercial Programs—The Aerospace Corporation
- Dr. Alex Saltman, Senior Vice President—GeoOptics Inc.
- David Hartshorn, Secretary General—GVF – Global VSAT Forum
- Yvon Henri, Chief, Space Services Department—ITU
- Jonathan Hofeller, Vice President of Commercial Sales—SpaceX
- Susan J. Irwin, President—Irwin Communications, Inc.
- John P. Janka, Partner—Latham & Watkins LLP
- Adam Keith, Managing Director—Euroconsult Canada
- Andrew M. Kwas, Engineering and Technology Strategist—Northrop Grumman Corp.
- Wallis Laughrey, Vice President, Space Systems—Raytheon
- Debra Facktor Lepore, VP and GM of Strategic Operations—Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp
- Chris Lewicki, President and CEO—Planetary Resources, Inc.
- Daniel Lim, President & CEO—Xtenti, LLC
- Tony Lin, Counsel, Washington, DC—Hogan Lovells
- Dr. Clare Martin, Vice President of Programs—Surrey Satellite Technology US
- Attila Matas, Head of the Space Publications and Registration Division—ITU
- Clayton Mowry, President—Arianespace
- Sunil Nagaraj, Vice President of Marketing and Communications—Bessemer Venture Partners
- Ryo Nakamura, Director, Business Development Department—Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
- Carlos Niederstrasser, Business Development & Special Initiatives—Orbital ATK
- Steve Oldham, Vice President, Strategic Business Development—Space Systems Loral (SSL)
- Dara A. Panahy, Partner—Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy
- Andrew Petro, Program Executive for Solar Electric Propulsion and Small Spacecraft Technology—NASA
- Christopher Richins, Cofounder & CEO—RBC Signals
- Will Pomerantz, Vice President for Special Projects—Virgin Galactic
- Randy S. Segal, Partner, Co-Lead Satellite Practice—Hogan Lovells
- John Stack, Managing Director, Aerospace Leader—The McLean Group Advisory Team
- Leon Stepan, Lead Mission Operations Analyst—Planet Labs
- David Strobel, CEO and Program Manager (PM)—Space Micro
- Chris Stott, Chairman & CEO (PM)—ManSat
- Tom Stroup, President—SIA – Satellite Industry Association
- Professor Sir Martin Sweeting, Founder and Executive Chairman—SSTL
- Stig-Are Thrana, U.S. Sales Director and Head of Kongsberg Silicon Valley Office—Kongsberg Satellite Services
- Dr. Joe Thurgood, Vice President Corporate Development and Marketing—Hera Systems
- Dr. Marco Villa, President & COO—Tyvak Nano-Satellite Systems
- Tony Wilkey, Senior Vice President—AvL Technologies
- Bruce Yost, Project Manager—NASA Ames Research Center
- Louis Zacharilla, Director of Development—SSPI
=> Here's some particularly good news for interested parties — the first 100 registrants will qualify for a $200 discount on the standard event admission… take advantage of this offer… don't dawdle… and register now at this direct link.
