Muon Space Proves Satellite Platform in Flight with Successful First Launch, Paving Way for Climate Constellation
Muon Space, a climate satellite company revolutionizing the way Earth is monitored from space, is pleased to announce the successful deployment of the company’s first satellite, MuSat-1. The ESPA-class spacecraft, which launched on SpaceX’s Transporter-8 mission from Vandenberg Space Force Base in Calif. on Monday, June 12, is Muon Space’s first satellite on orbit and an important step towards its Climate Constellation, which will use a new generation of sensors to monitor Earth’s climate and ecosystems.
“This launch is a testament to the incredible team we’ve assembled here at Muon Space who have designed, built, and now launched an ESPA-class spacecraft in less than two years,” said Jonny Dyer, CEO of Muon Space. “MuSat-1 is just the beginning as we push the limit of smallsat technology to produce actionable climate data on a global scale.”
Muon Space’s Climate Constellation will dramatically improve temporal cadence and sampling, producing sub-hourly global measurements. MuSat-2 and MuSat-3 are close behind – establishing a regular launch cadence to enable a growing constellation for Climate Intelligence data. Each satellite carries next-generation sensors that will provide transformative, actionable insights on Earth’s vital signs and the fingerprints of a changing planet.
“We were able to design, build, and launch a mission on an incredibly short timeline because we relied on a ‘fail fast’ approach to the spacecraft design,” added Paridhi Desai, MuSat program lead. “We went through multiple design iterations for all subsystems and are gratified to see how well our platform is operating in space. The communication with MuSat-1 helps us accelerate our development of upcoming satellites in the constellation.”
Muon Space’s MuSat-1 lifted off yesterday at 02:35 PM PST. MuSat-1 was deployed at 03:41 PM PST and first contact with the satellite was achieved approximately six minutes after deployment from the ground station in Gavle, Sweden. Engineering telemetry indicates the spacecraft is operating as planned and is in a good state of health.
About Muon Space
Founded in 2021, Muon Space is launching a new generation of smallsats and sensors to monitor Earth’s climate and ecosystems with unprecedented fidelity. Muon Space’s state-of-the-art facility in the heart of Silicon Valley is optimized for manufacturing spacecraft and integrating payloads at scale. Regular launches beginning in June, 2023 provide ever-increasing data sets addressing important geophysical and environmental applications and a platform to deliver new technologies to space. Muon Space’s experienced science and engineering teams are uniquely suited to deliver the most exquisite and reliable remote sensing solutions at the speed and scale required to address our most urgent climate challenges.
For more information on Muon Space, visit: https://www.muonspace.com/
