PRESS RELEASES
Astranis’s Arcturus Satellite Undergoes Relocation, Embarks on New Mission to Secure Spectrum for Spacecom
28.02.2024The satellite is currently in transit to a new orbital position in geostationary orbit
Astranis announced today that their first satellite, Arcturus, is in route to a new orbital location and under contract with Spacecom, the Amos Satellite Fleet Operator, and Service Provider, to conduct its first “Bring into Use” (BIU) mission. The Arcturus satellite is currently traversing the GEO arc, moving towards an orbital slot over central Asia, where it will conduct the 90-day mission.
“As part of Spacecom’s strategy for future growth, optimizing the utilization of its orbital assets is crucial. The success of this mission stands as a pivotal milestone for Spacecom greatly attributed to the remarkable flexibility of Astranis’s satellites,” noted Spacecom CEO Dan Zajicek. “We’re particularly impressed by the swift re-tasking and relocation of the Arcturus satellite for this crucial assignment. This agility is vital for our ongoing strategic plans and fleet management efforts, reinforcing the rationale for our partnership with Astranis on this significant mission.”
“This is a great demonstration of the relocation abilities of our satellites,” said Astranis CEO John Gedmark. “They are designed to be highly maneuverable, and fueled to be able to do dozens of relocation maneuvers over their lifetime. Having satellites that can relocate as needed to fulfill different missions is a big part of what makes the Astranis model unique.”
The Arcturus spacecraft is in good health and is currently speeding along the geostationary arc in a transfer altitude at approximately 3 degrees of longitude per day under full control of the Astranis mission operations center. The spacecraft’s payload continues to perform perfectly, including the Astranis-designed Software Defined Radio digital processor which is operating at full capability.
This effort represents the latest in a string of operational missions that the company has performed using the Arcturus spacecraft. Astranis used the satellite to perform end-to-end connectivity demonstrations for US Government customers, test advanced waveforms as well as cutting-edge ground equipment, and conduct other unannounced technology demonstrations.
Arcturus was previously intended to serve a customer in Alaska, a mission that will now be fulfilled by a new satellite planned to launch next year.
“I am incredibly pleased with how rapidly our team was able to prove out this additional conops for the satellite,” Gedmark said. “Arcturus is a very capable satellite, and we expect it to be fully utilized for many years to come.”
