Press Release

Deep Space Industries and SFL Selected to Provide Satellites for HawkEye 360’s Pathfinder Mission

By SpaceRef Editor
May 26, 2016
Filed under , ,

Deep Space Industries, Inc. has been selected by HawkEye 360 as the satellite provider for its Pathfinder small satellite mini-constellation. This is the first step towards the launch of the full commercial constellation of HawkEye 360’s space-based radio frequency mapping and analytics system.

Deep Space Industries (DSI) is the prime contractor for the development and manufacturing of the satellites that will host HawkEye 360’s proprietary data processing technology. The system will use space-based detection of radio signals to locate and characterize wireless spectrum information from Earth.

“To demonstrate the effectiveness of HawkEye 360’s radio frequency mapping, we will be delivering one of the most advanced small satellite constellations to date.” said Daniel Faber, CEO of Deep Space Industries. “We expect that the data products produced by HawkEye 360 will provide extensive value to the communications, transportation, and data analysis markets, a business that demands an operationally robust satellite constellation.”

Deep Space Industries has partnered with the UTIAS Space Flight Laboratory (SFL) in Toronto as its platform provider.  Together, the team will combine SFL’s capabilities and impressive small satellite success record with Deep Space Industries’ robust design approach and propulsion technologies to develop an advanced, reliable, and innovative satellite system.

“The Space Flight Laboratory is very pleased to partner with Deep Space Industries on the HawkEye 360 Pathfinder mission,” says Dr. Robert E. Zee, Director, SFL, “By leveraging SFL’s highly successful CanX-4 / CanX-5 formation flying technology demonstrated on orbit, along with DSI’s pioneering innovations and next-generation propulsion systems, the mission will deliver unparalleled performance in smaller, affordable satellites.”

Deep Space Industries’ engineering team draws on experience in over two-dozen space missions with a flawless success record. The team’s cumulative mission experience spans nanosatellites, microsatellites and GEO communications satellites. The cornerstone technologies being developed for DSI’s own missions are also key enablers for commercial satellite missions in low-Earth orbit, such as its inert, launch-safe, high-performance water propulsion system.

“HawkEye 360 is very excited to be working with Deep Space Industries as the manufacturing partner for our HawkEye 360 Pathfinder Cluster,” said John Serafini, CEO of HawkEye 360. “DSI and SFL’s technical expertise, flight heritage, and commitment to success are a great complement to our plans for commercial signals geolocation and analysis.”  

About Deep Space Industries

Deep Space Industries delivers robust technology products for the most demanding space applications. High-performance spacecraft components, developed in support of asteroid mining, also enhance and enable innovative satellite missions in Earth orbit. Building on its cornerstone technologies such as propulsion, radiation-tolerant avionics and autonomous navigation systems, DSI partners with the best satellite developers in the world to provide a wide range of fully-integrated spacecraft solutions for reliable and cost-effective missions.

About Space Flight Laboratory

SFL builds big performance into smaller, lower cost satellites. Small satellites built by SFL consistently push the performance envelope and disrupt the traditional cost paradigm. Satellites are built with advanced power systems, stringent attitude control and high-volume data capacity that are striking relative to the budget. SFL arranges launches globally and maintains a mission control center accessing ground stations worldwide. The pioneering and barrier breaking work of SFL is a key enabler to tomorrow’s cost aggressive satellite constellations.

SpaceRef staff editor.