Boeing’s research arm has introduced a line of small satellite platforms to tap into a growing market that has recently seen a flurry of start-ups.
The US-based manufacturer unveiled a family of prototypes collectively called Phantom Phoenix, which it…
Boeing’s research arm has introduced a line of small satellite platforms to tap into a growing market that has recently seen a flurry of start-ups.
The US-based manufacturer unveiled a family of prototypes collectively called Phantom Phoenix, which it said can be quickly and affordably constructed and configured for specific missions.
These missions range from intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance to planetary science.
There are three product lines within Boeing’s new family: A 500-1,000kg mid-class series designed for single and dual launch, a 180kg ESPA-class bird that could be launched up to six at a time, and a 4-10kg nano satellite.
Boeing is perhaps best known for the larger spacecraft it sells to commercial and government customers. But recently it has been developing an all-electric propulsion system as part of its 702 family of satellites, which enables missions that would have needed spacecraft twice its size and weight.
Darryl Davis, president of Boeing Phantom Works, the company’s research arm, explained: “Our customers need greater mission flexibility from smaller satellites that can be built more affordably, and delivered more quickly, without sacrificing quality.
“Building upon the success Boeing has had with expanding our 702 satellite family, we’ve rapidly developed a line of satellites to address the market between large geosynchronous spacecraft and nanosatellites.”
The Phantom Phoenix spacecraft will leverage on architecture shared with the company’s other satellites, and are being designed for all major launch vehicles.
The small satellite market has seen a spate of activity in the US, as the private sector rustles up low cost solutions to ease government budgets for data traditionally collected by its own spacecraft. Start-ups such as PlanetIQ and GeoMetWatch hope the government will soon follow a model it has already adopted for imagery intelligence for the gathering of weather data.
A decade ago the government started farming out imagery contracts to private players, eventually paving the way for a US$2bn global market.
The market for launching small satellites is also getting increasingly crowded, with a number of players currently developing low cost alternatives. Switzerland’s S3 inaugurated its Airbus A300 aircraft-based plan in mid-March.
