Go to market for the first European ITAR free modular micro control moment gyroscope actuator enabling 10x more in-orbit agility to small satellites ranging from 50kg to 300kg

Project Information

SATAGILITY-GO2MARKET

Grant agreement ID: 190182078

DOI

10.3030/190182078

Project closed

EC signature date 11 July 2022

Start date 1 April 2022

End date 31 October 2023

Funded under

• The European Innovation Council (EIC)

Total cost

€ 2 419 875,00

EU contribution

€ 1 510 469,00

Coordinated by

VEOWARE
Belgium

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - SATAGILITY-GO2MARKET (Go to market for the first European ITAR free modular micro control moment gyroscope actuator enabling 10x more in-orbit agility to small satellites ranging from 50kg to 300kg)

Reporting period: 2023-01-01 to 2023-10-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

Every day, satellites provide geospatial insights and relay information for decision makers. To accomplish their mission, EO satellites manoeuvre and point towards selected targets on the Earth’s surface (to collect imagery or to downlink data). Satellite on-board agility (= ability to manoeuvre) is a key measure of satellite effectiveness. Today, 99% of satellites use reaction wheels to enable their agility. Reaction wheels come in all sizes, so are suitable for small satellites, but provide limited speed to the rotation of satellites. More performing actuators are Control Moment Gyroscopes (CMG). Used by only 1% of the satellite market they are mostly US built & integrated on US defence satellites. These CMGs are bulky, high cost, have lengthy production times, and are export restricted, leaving Europe un-served by this technology. Therefore the main problem is that the two components to enable agility for small satellites are either the correct size but too slow, either provide the correct speed but too big for small satellites.

Our company, VEOWARE, has developed a next-generation space technology, the microCMG. We developed a micro Control Moment Gyroscope sized specifically for Earth Observation satellites from 50 to 300kg, which, according to our market assessment, would be the ones that would require the most agility. Compared to reaction wheels the microCMG will enable small satellites to gain 10 times more agility. This gain in agility means that Earth Observation satellites would be able to analyse more zones, or have a larger swath (= area imaged on the surface) and even will be able to spend more time downlinking data. This will make a difference for satellite operators by potentially optimising revenue - reorienting the satellite to analyse zones that are not shaded by clouds, operators will be gaining access to the required data faster. Additionally, this could also lead to diversification of downstream applications due to the fact that more quality data would be available on the market.

The VEOWARE technology has been de-risked over multiple technology development contracts with the European Space Agency (ESA). To successfully reach the market, customers require VEOWARE to launch a demonstration mission in space in order to demonstrate the announced key performances of its product in the relevant environment.
The Project aims at manufacturing and launching two VEOWARE microCMG into space (i.e. two separate flights for better risk management) while engaging with customers to witness the success of the tests done in orbit and conclude on VEOWARE’s first commercial sales.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

In the course of the project, VEOWARE has successfully engaged In-Orbit Demonstration (IOD) providers (i.e. satellite manufacturers offering room for payloads to be demonstrated in space) on the market and iterated on their capabilities to launch VEOWARE microCMG product into space.
The team has address the various interfaces requirements with the IOD providers such as dimensions, mass, power consumption, data interface, software interface. VEOWARE has further interviewed each candidate on their flight schedule opportunities (i.e. when they could possibly fly VEOWARE's product). Pre-selected candidates were all companies with flight heritage satellite platform, with the potential to become customers later and with preference in Europe. In total five companies were shortlisted.

VEOWARE has selected and hired the service of D-Orbit and Exotrail for its two In-Orbit Demonstration (IOD) flights. D-Orbit offered the ION platform while Exotrail offered the SpaceVan platform. Both were compatible with VEOWARE microCMG data, mechanical and power interface while offering suitable test windows in-orbit. D-Orbit (first flight) proposed a platform that already had acquired flight heritage in space. Exotrail was relying on recognized vendors that offered the reliability VEOWARE needed. Price offered were within budget. First flight launched with SpaceX on their Transporter-7 RideShare mission (Launch: 1st of April 2023). Second flight launched with Space X Trandsporter 9 mission (11th of November 2023).

After contract signature IOD proividers, VEOWARE focused on adapting the design, manufacturing and testing of its microCMG. VEOWARE manufactured of 4x microCMG (2x for flights, 2x for spares). Once shipped to the IOD providers, microCMG were successfully integrated onto the satellite platform. In parallel to the successful delivery of the microCMGs, VEOWARE started the development of test script (software) that will facilitate the automatic testing of the microCMG once in orbit.

When launched, satellite were commissioned. D-Orbit flight occurred first, hence results came from this mission first. VEOWARE performed commissioning of the microCMG and started a test campaign that ended up with the announcement (press release of the 14th of November 2023) of the successful completion of functional system test in orbit.

Last but not least VEOWARE has also engaged more than 100 potential customers and secured early sales.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

In the first half of the project, VEOWARE successfully delivered, on time, its very first flight model microCMG product to the Italian company D-orbit. In parallel, VEOWARE already managed to successfully convinced customers to engage into paying transactions for the product, even though such result was only expected by the end of the project. VEOWARE has thus already achieved one of the main goal of the project.
In the second half of the project, VEOWARE successfully delivered, on time, its second flight model microCMG product to the Italian company Exotrail while attending the successful launch of the first flight, commissioning the first microCMG and successfully testing it in orbit. VEOWARE is the first European Company having now a micro control moment gyroscope in space.