SAN JOSE, CA — Expanding its institutional backlog of in-orbit services, commercial space transportation provider Momentus Inc. (NASDAQ: MNTS) has secured a new contract with the University of Colorado Boulder’s Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP).
Under the agreement, Momentus will integrate and operate LASP’s upcoming Occultation Wave Limb Sounder (OWLS) mission aboard the company’s next-generation Vigoride-9 Orbital Service Vehicle (OSV). The scientific research mission is scheduled to launch into low-Earth orbit (LEO) in 2027.
Mapping Upper-Atmosphere Friction
The primary objective of the OWLS mission is to gather the empirical atmospheric data needed to dramatically improve predictive models of space weather, atmospheric drag, and the operational environment for LEO satellite constellations.
The mission manifest consists of two distinct scientific instruments engineered by LASP. These instruments will utilize solar occultation techniques to measure atmospheric density waves at altitudes ranging between 100 and 400 kilometers. By capturing how solar intensity diminishes as it filters through the upper atmosphere, the data will clarify the complex interactions between low-altitude weather systems and thermospheric density variations.
“Partnering with Momentus allows us to deploy OWLS quickly and efficiently by leveraging its orbital transportation services during the upcoming LEO launch to optimize our latest space weather forecasting instruments,” said OWLS Principal Investigator Dr. Ed Thiemann. “The data we collect will help improve models of the upper atmosphere and deepen our understanding of how the weather we experience at Earth’s surface ultimately impacts satellites in LEO.”
Monetizing Long-Duration Hosted Infrastructure
The contract expands Momentus’ commercial portfolio into the high-precision academic and scientific research sectors, adding to an active infrastructure pipeline that services commercial firms, technology organizations, and the U.S. government.
The Vigoride series relies on a modular spacecraft architecture and high-power generation capabilities explicitly designed to manage hosted payloads that demand prolonged operational life, strict stabilization, and tailored environmental profiles.
“We’re proud to support the OWLS mission demonstrating the versatile capabilities of our advanced technology combined with the flexibility of the orbital hosting infrastructure of our latest OSV, Vigoride-9,” said John Rood, Chief Executive Officer of Momentus. “We are encouraged by the increasing demand across a diverse set of commercial customers to support mission-critical orbital services, delivering reliable long-duration hosting and sustained operations.”
Navigating the Vigoride Flight Schedule
The scientific placement arrives as Momentus continues to execute its multi-year orbital service manifest:
- Vigoride-7: Launched into orbit in March, the spacecraft has successfully met all baseline operational and mission objectives.
- Vigoride-8: Built around a dedicated mission profile for NASA, the upcoming 2027 vehicle is completely booked.
- Vigoride-9: Following the integration of the dual LASP instruments, the 2027-bound OSV still maintains unallocated payload slot capacity.
Momentus confirmed its engineering and commercial teams are actively accepting technical proposals from satellite operators, defense research divisions, and commercial startups looking to secure the remaining hosted payload capacity on the upcoming Vigoride-9 launch.
