AAC CLYDE SPACE WINS 4.5 MSEK FOLLOW-ON ORDER FOR PRODUCTION IN-ORBIT

AAC Clyde Space, a leading New Space company, has received a 441 kEUR (approx. 4.5 MSEK) order from UK-based Space Forge to provide space products for a demonstration spacecraft designed to leverage the space environment for production and experiments, capable of performing multiple trips to space.

The order follows an order in December 2020 to contribute to the design of a satellite platform for the same purpose. The reusable spacecraft is intended to deorbit in a controlled manoeuvre to deliver its products and results back to Earth after six months in-orbit, thereby enabling efficient production and revolutionary experiments by leveraging the micro gravity in-orbit. The design will benefit from AAC Clyde Space’s standard satellite platform heritage, adjusted for re-entry into the atmosphere and landing on Earth. Back on Earth the satellites will be recovered, refurbished, and eventually re-launched.

Among the space products that AAC will provide to the project in this second phase are an integrated attitude determination and control system from AAC Hyperion in Delft, a Kryten Command & Data Handling unit and communications components from AAC Clyde Space in Glasgow. The project is supported by the European Space Agency’s Commercial Space Transportation Services and Support programme.

“AAC is proud to be part of this revolutionary project that truly leverages the unique conditions in space for the benefit of humanity. The whole team looks forward to making space-based production a reality in the foreseeable future,” says AAC Clyde Space CEO Luis Gomes.

The ultimate goal of the project is to establish a continuous space-based production by a monthly satellite launch. A test campaign of several satellites is planned to bring the service to commercialisation and shall be supported by AAC Clyde Space.

“We are pleased to be partnering with AAC Clyde on this World-First mission. Their spacecraft heritage is a significant asset to achieving our objectives at Space Forge in building the first returnable satellite platform, the ForgeStar,” says Space Forge CEO & Co-Founder Joshua Western.

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