Axelspace Corporation (Axelspace) announces the successful launch and orbital insertion of the demonstration satellite “PYXIS,” marking another milestone in the company’s history.
PYXIS was launched on March 4, 2024 (PST) on SpaceX’s Transporter-10 mission from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California.
Axelspace has received the first voice transmission*¹ from PYXIS. The company will now proceed through the initial operational phase to verify the performance of each onboard component and the regular operational phase to execute the missions in orbit.
*¹ First voice transmission: The first radio signal received on Earth from a satellite in orbit.
PYXIS will work on the following missions in orbit.
1. Demonstration of the versatile satellite bus system*² for AxelLiner
2. Demonstration of the sensors for the next-generation AxelGlobe satellites (GRUS)
3. Demonstration of a satellite radio experiment system by SONY Group
*² The bus system is the fundamental satellite operation system, encompassing crucial functions such as attitude control and power supply.
PYXIS is equipped with a deorbit device called D-SAIL, the Deployable Deorbit Mechanism for microsatellites. Developed as a countermeasure to the growing problem of space debris, this mechanism facilitates the rapid descent of satellites into the atmosphere upon mission completion, leveraging thin atmospheric resistance in orbit.
It is planned to become the standard equipment on future satellites developed by Axelspace.
PYXIS is the first demonstration satellite of AxelLiner, the one-stop microsatellite service.
Traditional satellite development, often adopting a ‘full-customization’ approach, entails prolonged lead times, substantial costs, and demands a high level of expertise. This complexity poses challenges in formulating business plans for satellite projects, affecting a broad spectrum of users, including those from the private sector.
To address the escalating demand for microsatellites and enhance their usability, AxelLiner is leading the way with two major innovations: a packaged service for microsatellite projects and the mass production of them.
Applying the knowledge and learnings acquired from the PYXIS demonstration, Axelspace continues to deliver user-friendly solutions to diverse needs by further accelerating its technological development for AxelLiner and expanding its GRUS constellation for AxelGlobe with the vision of “Space within Your Reach.”
General-purpose (Versatile) satellite bus and In-orbit Demonstration of Deployable Deorbit Mechanism are based on results obtained from the following projects subsidized by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO).
-Development and Demonstration of General-Purpose CubeSat and Microsatellite Buses (FY2023-2026)
*This project is implemented by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry from FY2021 to FY2022
– Program to Support Ventures for Developing Space Components (FY2020-2021)
