Alba Orbital Limited, a Glasgow based pioneer of miniaturized satellites, today announced the sale of the first two Unicorn-2 PocketQube spacecraft platforms to US-based stealth mode startup, Stara Space. Stara plan to use these two satellites as a proof of concept for an eventual constellation to service other space users with high speed real-time data connection, storage, and computation. These satellites named NOOR 1-A and 1-B will demonstrate a LEO-LEO intersatellite link, encrypted communication, ADCS, and integration with ground station software that allows 3rd party satellites to request data transfer, crucial technologies required to create a real-time global communications constellation.
NOOR 1-A and 1-B will fly on Alba Launch cluster 2, joining 5 other PocketQube customers on the cluster, which is now sold out. The target launch date is Q3 2019, on a TBA flight proven launch vehicle. This will be the biggest deployment of PocketQubes in history, with the goal to provide a regular service for the PocketQube community, servicing startups such as Stara, Universities and space agencies.
Unicorn-2 is Alba’s 2nd generation PocketQube platform and the most advanced platform in its class. Developed with support of from the European Space Agency (ESA), Unicorn-2 boasts a 20 watt quadruple deployable solar panel, the world’s smallest active pointing system (ADCS) and all key electronics integrated into one board (backplane). Each spacecraft only weighs only 750 grams with payload.
Tom Walkinshaw, CEO/Founder Alba Orbital Limited said:
‘We are really excited to announce Stara as our first Unicorn-2 customer! They have a really ambitious vision and we are really itching to get to work on making their first missions a success.’
Tyler Diaz, Co-Founder/CEO Stara Space said:
“The Alba team have been stellar at collaborating with for this mission. We’re excited to work alongside them to advance the frontier of small satellites.”
Unicorn-2
Video of Unicorn-2 Comms version https://youtu.be/bBDIHpKVo8g
About PocketQubes
The PocketQube satellite format is made up of 5cm cubes, which can be stacked to make larger variants, which are referred to as p, for example 1p, 2p, 3p etc. The first 4 PocketQubes were launched into space in 2013. Globally, they are currently 13 PocketQube manifested for launch and expected to fly within the next 2 years.
About Alba Orbital Ltd
Alba Orbital was founded in 2012 by Tom Walkinshaw and now employs 15 employees, 13 Full Time Equivalent. Their current offices are based in Glasgow Scotland, with 130m sq of design, manufacture and assembly space all under one roof. The team have won 5 major contracts with the European Space Agency, worth in excess of 1 million euro. Their platforms, Unicorn-1 and Unicorn-2, serve different parts of the satellite value chain and with their new Albapod deployer, are able to fly on any launch vehicle. They now have a combined 10 customers for their Alba Launch Cluster service and Unicorn platforms. For more information on Alba, please visit www.albaorbital.com
Media Contact: Andrew Paliwoda, andrew.paliwoda@albaorbital.com, 0845 689 0098
About Stara Space
Stara space are a stealth mode startup based in Miami Florida who are deploying a constellation of pico-satellites that provide high speed data connection, storage, and computation for space. Their first 2 Satellites, NOOR 1-A and 1-B are expected to launch in Q3 2019.
For more information on Stara, please visit www.stara.space
Media contact: founders@stara.space