Redwire is leveraging its SabreSat VLEO platform for DARPA’s Otter program. Image: Redwire
By Christina Phillips
Redwire Corporation, a space infrastructure company, announced that it has been awarded a contract from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to be the prime mission integrator for the development of an “air-breathing” satellite that will demonstrate the use of novel electric propulsion systems in very low-Earth orbit (VLEO) using Redwire’s SabreSat VLEO platform.
In a news release on June 17, Redwire said the strategic significance of VLEO is growing – especially for national security missions.
While low-Earth (LEO) and geosynchronous (GEO) orbits are becoming increasingly congested and contested, spacecraft in VLEO operate in a relatively unimpaired environment, according to Redwire.
Bridging the gap between air and space, VLEO spacecraft fly above airborne anti-access areas while operating significantly closer to the area of responsibility on the ground than existing satellites, the company said.
Redwire noted that additionally, unlike LEO and GEO, debris in VLEO deorbits in hours or days rather than in decades or more.
“We are proud to be leveraging our SabreSat satellite design to support critical VLEO technology advancements for DARPA’s game-changing Otter program,” said Spence Wise, Redwire Senior Vice President, Missions and Platforms. “As VLEO emerges as a critical domain for national security missions, Redwire is continuing to make investments to support technology innovation and strategic operations in this environment.”
As the prime contractor and mission systems enabler for DARPA’s Otter program, Redwire said the company will be responsible for building the SabreSat bus, advancing the critical technologies necessary for the mission, and integrating, coordinating, and leading the team for the project.
To support mission planning and execution for the program, Redwire said it is using proprietary digital engineering tools that are configured for the unique environment of VLEO. This includes Redwire’s Digitally Engineered Mission Systems & Integration (DEMSI) platform and processes, which utilizes high-fidelity physics and thermosphere models that account for space weather to model atmospheric drag and material degradation caused by atomic oxygen.
Redwire said its SabreSat “orbital drone” is modular in size, accommodating a variety of mission applications, including high-resolution intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR); resilient communications; navigation; and Earth science payloads.
Designed for performance, endurance, and cost-effectiveness, the company noted, SabreSat is intended to seed the market for VLEO capabilities.
In addition to SabreSat, Redwire said its European office is leveraging its Phantom European VLEO Platform to study the use of VLEO for the European Space Agency’s Skimsat program together with Thales Alenia Space UK, with the goal of substantially increasing Earth observation capabilities while decreasing costs.
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