SpaceX, Rocket Lab, Blue Origin and Virgin Galactic often take the big chunk of the news in the category of private spaceflight. But they are not the only private space organizations working in democratizing the space industry.
Let’s have a look at some of the new and exciting startups, and the interesting problems they are solving.
1. Solstorm
With the tagline of “Sustainable Space Transport”, Solstorm is on a mission to create systems to prevent space debris and enable a sustained presence in space.
Founded by engineers from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Solstorm highlights the problem of space debris with the following numbers:
- Dead satellites: 3170
- Objects >10cm: 34000
- Objects 1-10cm: 900,000
- Objects <1cm: 128,000,000
They have come up with the satellite disposal system, which is a kill switch for satellites that works by increasing the amount of drag on the client satellite, speeding up the de-orbiting phase after mission completion. The disposal system operates independently of the client satellite and can be remote deployed, ensuring mission success even if power and communication with the client satellite is lost.
2. Pixxel
Pixxel plans to provide the world’s highest-resolution hyperspectral imaging small satellites.
Based in India, they aim to launch a constellation of tiny satellites in order to provide a “health monitor for the earth.” These “hyperspectral” Earth-imaging satellites have a special architecture that allows them to transmit geographical data in hundreds of wavelengths to find issues that are hidden by current satellites.
A platform will make the data they get from their 24-hour global coverage available so that organizations and governments can learn new things about the planet.
3. The Exploration Company
This startup is on mission is to make space exploration affordable, available and sustainable.
They are aiming to do this by manufacturing and operating a modular and reusable orbital vehicle that can eventually be refueled in orbit. The vehicle, dubbed Nyx, currently carries cargo but has the potential to carry humans on missions ranging from orbiting the earth to traveling to the Moon and back. The vehicle is built with open interfaces that can be used by other companies to develop new applications.
4. MyelinS
MyelinS is developing a biologically inspired software operating system that acts as a sort of brain for terrestrial and space robots.
MyelinS is a software company that allows robots to have onboard cognitive & sensory processing capabilities using brain-like (neuromorphic) computing technology. Their brain-like software allows any robotic system to move around, sense its environment, and act intelligently and autonomously based on what it sees, senses, and perceives.
5. Skyroot Aerospace
Skyroot is the first Indian rocket launching private company. The company was founded by former engineers and scientists from ISRO. It aims to develop and launch its own series of small lift launch vehicles especially crafted for the small satellite market.
6. Mission Space
This startup, has its tagline: Satellite-based Space Weather Intelligence System.
They aim to redefine monitoring of space environment and provide a new level of space weather intelligence, using their own instruments in LEO and advanced models o the ground.
It features three different types of satellites with sensors that can measure and monitor magnetic and solar wind conditions near the earth, as well as streams of radiation from the Sun.
Those were the some of the exciting startups working in the field of space and rockets. With increasing rate of innovation and higher risk appetite, the number of private space organizations is only going to increase in coming times.
That’s all for today’s newsletter. We will come up with a new topic, next Sunday!
