Satellite and space company mu Space Corp today announced a collaboration with SSL, a Maxar Technologies company and a leading provider of innovative satellites and spacecraft systems, to develop concepts for communications and Earth observation satellites.
SSL brings a depth of technical expertise and an agile approach to helping mu Space with its plans to launch a satellite into Low Earth Orbit (LEO) in the early 2020s. The satellite is intended for earth observation applications including remote sensing technology.
SSL designs and builds satellites ranging from a few kilowatts of power to more than 25 kilowatts for a broad range of applications including direct broadcast (DBS), high throughput satellites (HTS) for consumer broadband, and Earth observation. The company will work with mu Space to tailor designs to meet its market demand. A mu Space low-orbit satellite could also be used for agricultural observation, national security purposes, and satellite-enabled broadband applications using advanced phased-array antennas.
“At mu Space, our mission is to enable Internet of Things (IoT) and smart solutions via satellite to improve the quality of life of people. As such, we’ve been searching for an ideal partner who can develop our satellite on schedule and at the right price point. With SSL’s strong track record in manufacturing satellites, we’re confident we can achieve that,” said James Yenbamroong, founder and CEO at mu Space.
“At SSL, we make space simple for companies with exciting concepts and promising business plans, such as mu Space,” said Mark Sarojak, vice president, Commercial Earth Observation at SSL. “SSL is the leader in commercial communications satellites and we have built 11 small Earth Observation satellites that were launched over the past two years. SSL has the technical expertise, agile mindset, and years of experience needed to help mu Space succeed.”
“Low-orbit satellites are capable of delivering these services. That is made possible with LEO satellites’ lower launch costs, reduced power requirements and a significantly reduced roundtrip transmission delay,” concluded James.
mu Space, founded in 2017, develops satellite communication technologies to accelerate the adoption of Internet of Things devices and smart cities. It plans to launch its own satellite in 2020 using Blue Origin’s New Glenn space vehicle and to lead space technology development in Asia-Pacific.
