Fleet Space Technologies announced last week that it successfully launched its next-generation Centauri 5 satellite on the Space X Falcon 9 Transporter-5 mission.
This was the company’s third launch with SpaceX, following the successful deployment of Centauri 4 on the Transporter-2 mission in June 2021.
Centauri 5 will be placed in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) at an expected altitude of 530km. A 6U sized microsat with a total weight of 12kg, it will aim to add capacity, reduce latency and provide additional network redundancy in the existing six-strong Centauri constellation, which Fleet operates in collaboration with Tyvak International.
According to Fleet Space, upgrades to the Centauri 4 payload includes enhancements that mitigate the effects of radiation in LEO, direct communication links to Fleet's ground station, and an extended S-Band range, allowing uplink at standard ground station frequencies.
Digital beamforming reportedly provides extra gain, increasing the data rate, and also allows the S-Band frequency channels to be reused on the different beams. This combination increases the satellite’s data capacity by 2.6 times, according to the company. In a world first, the all-metal patch antennas are all entirely 3D printed.
The advances in 3D printing technology used in the construction of its patch antennal also feed into the development of the forthcoming fully 3D printed micro Alpha constellation, scheduled for launch during 2023. Together, the two systems are expected to provide continuous coverage, data rates up to 520 kbps and tailored frequency bands servicing current and future generations of IoT devices.
The combined constellation also enables Fleet Space’s ExoSphere system. This mission aims to transform mineral exploration by using ambient noise tomography to locate critical resources 'up to 100 times faster and with far less environmental impact than conventional methods' such as explosives, vibroseis machines and drilling.
“We’ve built our business and reputation by consistently delivering on our stated goals, and developing technologies that address real human and commercial needs reliably and cost-effectively," Flavia Tata Nardini, CEO and Co-founder, Fleet Space Technologies said. "Centauri 5 will bring important new capabilities to our existing constellation. It also supports the development of our forthcoming Alpha constellation, which enables our pioneering ExoSphere mineral exploration tool with transformational benefits for the exploration of critical energy transition materials.”