Space blog - In the news

Meet Surrey at Satellite 2010

nospam@example.com (Robin Wolstenholme) — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 13:58:34 +0000

SSTL and its US operation SST US are attending the Satellite 2010 exhibition at National Harbor, Maryland, USA from 16-18 March 2010.

Visit Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd on stand 1925.

SST US CEO John Paffett will be joined by Kathryn O'Donnell, Yasrine Ibnyahya and Simon Crouch from SSTL and Brent Abbott, Becky Yoder and Katherine Defoe from SST US.

Come and find out about how we deliver low risk high performance satellites at a fraction of the price usually associated with such levels of capability.

UoSAT-2 transmitting for 26 years

nospam@example.com (Robin Wolstenholme) — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 11:58:24 +0000

Twenty six years ago today the University of Surrey team led by future SSTL-founder Sir Martin Sweeting launched the UoSAT-2 satellite (a.k.a UO-11) onboard a Delta rocket with LandSat-D from Vandenberg Air Force Base, USA on the 1st March 1984.

UoSAT-2 graphic

The 60kg small satellite was built in just 6 months and carried a Digitalker speech synthesiser and experiments including magnetometers, a CCD camera, a Geiger-Müller tube and a microphone to detect micrometeoroid impacts.

UoSAT-2 was instrumental in providing a communications link from the Canadian-Soviet Ski-Trek support teams to the expedition party in 1986. The position of the skiers' emergency beacon was calculated daily by Cospas-Sarsat ground stations and relayed to them and thousands of amateur radio listeners as a spoken message from the Digitalker on board UO-11. This is really worth a listen - visit the expedition web page. The message could also serve as an emergency channel to the skiers in the event that all other radio links failed.
Continue reading "UoSAT-2 transmitting for 26 years"

SSTL on The Gadget Show

nospam@example.com (Robin Wolstenholme) — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 11:11:49 +0000

Small satellite pioneer and all round British space innovator SSTL will star in next week’s episode of The Gadget Show on the UK’s Five television channel at 8pm on the 8th March.

Of course the exact details of the program are top secret, but presenters Ortis Deley and Suzi Perry will attempt to locate fellow presenter Jon Bentley using satellite technology. If you want to find out more, you’ll just have to tune in.
Continue reading "SSTL on The Gadget Show"

Obama cuts manned moon budget

nospam@example.com (Robin Wolstenholme) — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 11:43:06 +0000

Sir Martin Sweeting :

So President Obama has scrapped the US plans for a manned return to the Moon. As the world claws it way out of recession, many might see this decision as being financially prudent. However, the exploration of the lunar surface is still very much on the agenda. But it won’t be man making one small step next time, it will be a robot!

Several nations are planning robotic lunar missions including India, China, Korea and interestingly, the USA. And when you think about it, this makes perfect sense because robotic lunar missions are much more cost effective than manned missions, although not so emotive. Of course, robotic exploration is nothing new with NASA and ESA both utilising this technology, but it’s still very expensive. The price tag for the European ExoMars programme is around €1Bn which is a lot of money in any currency. But does robotic exploration have to be this expensive?

MoonLITE Orbiter Penetrator, designed by SSTL for the design phase of the UK government's MoonLITE mission for a low-cost orbiter carrying scientific lunar surface penetrators and a communications relay payload to the Moon in 2014.

At SSTL we don’t think so. We think it is possible to knock a “0” off the cost of mounting lunar robotic exploration mission by simply employing the same, well founded, production techniques that SSTL use to reduce the cost of designing and building Earth-orbiting small satellites.

Currently, there is enormous interest in the moon, particularly with the prospect of finding water, the key perhaps to a permanent manned lunar base in the future. The LRO and LCROSS missions are currently surveying the lunar surface to identify future landing sites. Now is the time to mount a low cost robotic mission to Moon in order to prove the technology and its suitability for other more distant planetary missions.

Don't miss Sir Martin Sweeting on IET.tv

nospam@example.com (Robin Wolstenholme) — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 08:33:30 +0000

SSTL founder, and Director of the Surrey Space Centre, Professor Sir Martin Sweeting gave a talk on small satellites for the Appleton Lecture organised by the IET on 19th January.

The Appleton Lecture was established in 1965 to commemorate the life and work of Sir Edward Appleton, a widely honoured physicist and Nobel Prize winner who is mainly noted for research into the upper atmosphere. In keeping with this theme, Sir Martin was invited as a world renowned expert on satellites, to give an hour long talk Small Satellites - Big Future. For anyone who missed the lecture on the 19th January, the IET has made it avaliable online at IET.tv.

If you have an interest in SSTL, satellite engineering and the future of space technology to tune in online - it's a very good watch. Just click on Small Satellites - Big future.

Meet SSTL at a show in 2010

nospam@example.com (Robin Wolstenholme) — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 13:13:15 +0000

The SSTL Group is attending a number of shows in 2010 where it will present its latest satellite subsystems, satellite communications and civilian and commercial earth observation mission capabilities. Experts from SSTL and its American operation SSTL US will be on hand to discuss your latest space challenges and how they might be solved.

SATTECH
Singapore - 28-30 January 2010.
The Global Space and Technology Convention (GSTC) is the world’s premier Space Convention showcasing the latest technology in space engineering and design.

ASS Guidance & Control Conference
Breckenridge, Colorado, USA - 6-10 February.
Join SSTL US LLC at the AIAA Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GN&C) Conferencefor the latest developments in GN&C technology, with a unique focus on theory and applications in aeronautics and astronautics.

HOSDB 2010
Farnborough - 16-18 March 2010. Join SSTL on stand F17.
The HOSDB 2010 exhibition is a UK event showcasing the latest security equipment for law enforcement and public security. It focuses on: Crime and Policing, Security and Counter Terrorism, Identity Management and Border Security.

Satellite 2010
National Harbor, Maryland, USA - 16-18 March 2010. SSTL stand 1925.
This event looks to the future of satellite-enabled communications and the solutions that new technology and new markets will provide. Keep an eye on the Satellite Today blog for more information.

FIDAE Air & Space Show
Santiago, USA - 23-28 March 2010
This is the leading fair in Latin America and one of the five most important aeronautical fairs in the world.

National Space Symposium
Colorado Springs, USA - 12-15 April 2010. Join SSTL US LLC on stand 308.
The symposium has become widely known as the premier U.S. space policy and program forum with information and interaction on all sectors of space.

For more information keep an eye on Space Blog - or why not subscribe to our RSS feed using the big orange button in the top right.

SSTL is on BBC Breakfast today

nospam@example.com (Robin Wolstenholme) — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 09:13:33 +0000

As part of its mini-series looking at the state of British manufacturing, BBC Breakfast's Tim Muffett visited SSTL's headquarters in Guildford to find the secrets of its success.

The video report gives a sneak peak at cleanroom operations and mission control. Mr Muffet also catches up briefly with SSTL CEO Matt Perkins and Business Development Manager Phil Davies to discuss how SSTL hs carved a unique niche in the international space market with its low cost alternatives to conventional space missions.

If you missed BBC Breakfast this morning, or if like many Space Blog visitors you are from abroad you can watch the video report Surrey satellite firm weathers the recession online.

Space age composites at new Bordon facility

nospam@example.com (Robin Wolstenholme) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 08:50:08 +0000

SSTL’s new Composites Facility in Bordon, Hampshire will complement its design and engineering capabilities.

Composites Facility

Composites are fundamental to state of the art engineering, and their inherent versatility, strength and low weight makes this class of materials an essential component in SSTL satellite design. The vertical integration promises lead time and cost savings that will enable the company to deliver excellent value satellite missions by using the best available technologies.

The 10,000 square feet facility's primary function is the manufacture of composite components and structures and it has a climate controlled Lay-up Room, Processing Area, dedicated Surface Preparation Area and a Trimming and Finishing facility. A large Processing Oven, Vapour Degreasing Tank, 'Vapormaster' Shot Blast Cabinet, Walk-in Freezer are already installed and a composites curing Autoclave will also be commissioned in 2010.

Malaysia's TiungSat turns 9

nospam@example.com (Robin Wolstenholme) — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 15:09:30 +0000

Malaysian space scientists at Astronautic Technology Sdn Bhd (ATSB) celebrated the ninth anniversary of the launch of Tiungsat-1 on the 26th September.

Tiung SAT was the first Malaysian microsatellite, developed through the technology transfer and training programme between Astronautic Technology Sdn Bhd (ATSB) Malaysia and SSTL in the UK. Tiung SAT-1 was launched aboard Dnepr rocket from Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan on 26 September 2000.

Tiungsat launch team showing both SSTL and customer at the launch site. From SSTL are Andy Currie, Sascha Manitz and Victor van der Zel.

The satellite was developed as part of a technology transfer and training program between ATSB in Kuala Lumpur and SSTL in the UK. Its payloads included an amateur radio relay, an Earth imaging system, a GPS-based navigation and attitude control system, as well as a data transfer experiment and a cosmic ray detector.

Tiung Sat integration

The photo to the left shows Tiung Sat at integration and was taken at the launch site. SSTL's launch expert Andy Currie is shown making final preparations to the spacecraft before it was loaded onto the launcher.

The SSTL project manager for Tiung Sat was Tim Butlin, who is now working as an Operations Manager for Macdonald Dettwiler Space and Robotics. Tim remains a regular visitor to SSTL and working on the Sapphire mission that will provide a satellite-based Resident Space Object (RSO) observing service to accurately track deep space orbiting objects.

As is often the case, the Tiung Sat program included traning and development at SSTL's premises in Guildford, UK. The aim of such programs is to give customers the tools and experience to establish their own successful Low Cost Space Programme. The Tiung Sat programme comprised a total-immersion space mission engineering experience, from blank sheet through academics, design, assembly, integration, test, launch and operations.

Tiung Sat

TiungSAT-1 was the first microsatellite for the Astronautic Technology (M) SDN. BHD. Company (ATSB) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It was built by SSTL, at the Surrey Space Centre under a UKP8.4m contract (1997), within a Know- How Technology Transfer Programme between the UK and Malaysia, including the installation of a satellite control centre in Malaysia.

Just a few months ago in July ATSB also launched Razaksat-1, the first remote sensing satellite to be placed in equatorial orbit. Visit the new ATSB website for some great images, audio commentary and videos from the RazahhSat-1 launch onboard the SpaceX Falcon1 rocket.

Nigeria completes milestone in space

nospam@example.com (Robin Wolstenholme) — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 08:53:19 +0000

Nigeria's space program has passed another milestone as both the state of the art NigeriaSat-2 and the Nigerian-built NigeriaSat-X (NX) spacecraft passed their Flight Readiness Reviews.

The completion of this review signifies that the two spacecraft are now ready for launch. At the same time, the Launch Services Agreement was signed that will see the two spacecraft launched onboard a Dnepr rocket in Q4 2010.

Nigerian engineer Bosun Yusuf at Rutherford Appleton Laboratories

Nigeria's future space engineers pictured with Sir Martin Sweeting, Executive Chairman SSTL

Meanwhile, the 26 Nigerian trainees, some of who have spent 3 years at SSTL, have now returned to Nigeria ready to begin operations of their two spacecraft once they launch next year.

To Russia with love

nospam@example.com (Robin Wolstenholme) — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 09:57:39 +0000

In March 2007, SSTL announced that it had signed an order with Federal State Unitary Enterprise - The Russian Research and Production Enterprise Pan-Russian Research Institute for Electromechanics (FSUE NPP VNIIEM) and Radioexport of Russia for the supply for the supply of satellite platform equipment and services for the KANOPUS Low Earth Orbit (LEO) Earth observation spacecraft.

The first satellite, KANOPUS-B will monitor the Earth's surface and support the monitoring of disasters, agricultural planning and the management of water and coastal resources.

The project was to be a highly cooperative effort from the beginning, with great admiration on both sides of the project. The cooperation has also been different in the nature of its deliverables, and for technical, cultural reasons.

First of all, let’s look into the project itself. SSTL is a small satellite manufacturer, that regularly builds and integrates fully-functioning satellites like the recently launched UK-DMC2 or Deimos-1 earth observation missions. It also supplies sub-systems such as high resolution earth imaging payloads, multi-spectral imagers, on-board computers or GPS receivers for third party missions.

For the KANOPUS-B contract, a new approach was adopted where SSTL would build the satellite platform, avionics equipment and software, but then support VNIIEM with their spacecraft assembly and payload integration activities in Russia.

Integration – the moment of truth

During May and June, teams from SSTL visited VNIIEM’s impressive Assembly, integration and test (AIT) facilities in Moscow.

AIT Engineer Rob Gibbings and manufacturing engineer Greg Rouse can be seen to the left cutting a wiring harness to the required length and attaching customer connectors onto the SSTL harness.

More recently, in August, a team from SSTL visited the VNIIEM AIT facilities in Moscow to connect the SSTL equipment with the rest of the satellite equipment, perform tests on hardware and perform initial integration checks before satellite integration.

In the photo Lead AIT engineer Ari Venkatesan is connecting the VNIIEM Solar Array Simulator (SAS) to the SSTL power system, which was one of the integration checks performed.

During the visit in August, SSTL successfully integrated the VNIIEM SAS.

SSTL provided power and pulse-per-second [satellite timing information] to the Mission Hardware (Payload) through our systems, and achieved communication between the SSTL on-board computer and the Mission Hardware over the MIL-1553 data bus.

One of the major technical differences was the Russian’s use of a MIL-1553 data bus, and the compatibility of the SSTL built systems with this.

SSTL’s heritage systems use a CAN (control area network) bus for robust on-board communications between subsystems. VNIIEM wanted SSTL’s CAN-based systems to be able to “talk” to the 1553 bus systems reliably and with no loss of information. This has been achieved by using the OBC (On-Board Computer) as the interface between the SSTL CAN data bus and the VNIIEM MIL-1553 data bus. The OBC in effect performs the translation from MIL-1553 data into CAN data and vice-versa.

The SSTL on-board computer is also using newly developed flight software for this mission. Building the software from the new operating system upwards and accommodating the new and different payload interfaces and modes of operation to what SSTL is accustomed to is no small task. This newly developed software successfully established communications with the Mission Hardware during the testing in Moscow. Further testing is required, but this first step went a long way to build confidence in both teams.

The culture of engineering

Yes, you heard right. Culture and engineering in the same sentence.

The two companies have a very different engineering culture. SSTL has made a name for itself by changing the economics of space – a feat made possible by adopting Commercial Off The Shelf (COTS) technology and applying it to space systems.

VNIIEM AIT facilities in Moscow

Its heritage is built on a “systems engineering” approach which takes advantage of new technologies and tight integration. For example, one of the reasons that SSTL can provide such fast turnaround for missions is that their “off the shelf” platforms comprise tightly integrated subsystems for telemetry, navigation, mission planning and attitude control.

The culture of engineering in Russia is quite different. This is largely because SSTL’s Russian counterparts are more familiar with building larger satellites with stringent specifications and reliability requirements.

SSTL, on the other hand builds complete systems that are integrated with software and (re)programmable electronics. The modules are physically separate and can be tested separately, but the customer benefits from advanced functionality and a more robust system within a lower total cost of ownership (TCO) when the system is treated as a whole.

Project Manager, Alex O’Neill explained,

“The design process is also different. Whereas we would design and allow for margins of error, the Russian approach is more focussed on eliminating errors through thorough, precise and comprehensive analysis and design choices.”

“This meant that our initial meetings could stop and start, with both ourselves and the VNIIEM engineers having different expectations.”

SSTL is a dynamic young company that attracts talented young scientists and engineers, as such the average age of the core team dedicated to the VNIIEM project is 33, even experts in a particular field may not be much older.

Alex O’Neill reflects,

“In the beginning, the age difference was very noticeable. We felt that we were perhaps treated with some fair scepticism by the more mature and very experienced and capable Russian engineers. Initially, our ideas were also difficult for these experienced space veterans to fully appreciate, but I am pleased to say that a strong mutual respect has been earned by both sides."

It is believed that the KANOPUS satellites will be launched either at the end of 2009 and early 2010, and SSTL looks forward to a long a fruitful relationship with VNIIEM in the future.

SSTL and DMCii on Discovery Science Channel

nospam@example.com (Robin Wolstenholme) — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 12:51:01 +0000

Space Blog readers from the US might be interested to learn that SSTL and its earth-imaging subsidiary DMCii will be featured in the Discovery Channel series program “How Do They Do It?”. The show has already aired in Europe, and now as promised in our August blog Watch SSTL and DMCii on TV, here's an update on the first US broadcast.

The episode is due to receive its first US transmission on Discovery Science Channel on Thursday 1st October at 9pm Eastern Time. It will also be repeated at midnight that day and then on Saturday 3rd October at 4am Eastern Time. Tune in with your family and friends for a lighthearted insight into how SSTL is changing the economics of space and see a hyperspectral imager being assembled at SSTL's optical payloads group.

Astrium and SpaceX announce launch deal

nospam@example.com (Robin Wolstenholme) — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 15:56:34 +0000

SSTL’s owner Astrium and Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) have announced a contract which will see an Earth observation satellite designed by Astrium or SSTL launched by Falcon 1e, a SpaceX launch vehicle.

Falcon 1

The Falcon 1e is an ‘enhanced’ version of the Falcon 1 launch vehicle. Falcon 1e has been designed completely by SpaceX and benefits from upgraded propulsion, structures and avionics systems, allowing for more reliability. The original Falcon 1 was launched almost a year ago on September 28th 2008.

SSTL and Astrium provide a range of innovative, cutting edge Earth Observation satellite products. Through this partnership, they can offer customers a turnkey solution, with in-orbit delivery of a low Earth orbit satellite system.

Both parties have told of their joy at the partnership:

SpaceX's Falcon 1e launch vehicle was designed to provide the highest level of reliability as well as the lowest dedicated mission price of any orbital launch system

said Elon Musk, CEO and CTO of SpaceX.

SpaceX is pleased to be the launch services provider for this mission.

Evert Dudok, the CEO of Astrium Satellites stated

This Falcon 1e contract allows Astrium to provide a competitive solution for in-orbit delivery of an Earth observation satellite in low Earth orbit. This deal will ultimately benefit customers seeking innovative and low-cost solutions for valuable Earth observation programs.

You can watch the first successful Falcon-1 launch in October on Space Blog.

Video explains changing economics of space

nospam@example.com (Robin Wolstenholme) — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 10:53:46 +0000

For Space Blog readers that didn't catch our blog Watch SSTL and DMCii on TV, you can watch a clip of DMCii and SSTL in the Discovery Channel program How do they do it? below.

We would encourage anyone who missed the show to take a look at the official How do they do it website.

Find out more about SSTL's unique approach to space and to learn more about DMCii's satellite imaging using the DMC constellation visit the DMCii website.

Watch SSTL and DMCii on TV

nospam@example.com (Robin Wolstenholme) — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 17:02:27 +0000

SSTL & DMCii are scheduled to be featured on the Discovery Channel’s "How Do They Do It?" television programme. Tune in to either Discovery Channel or Discovery HD at 20:00 on Thursday 27th August (Updated).

If you are not one of the 1.2 billion who already watch the program, "How Do They Do It?" showcases a wide variety of technology and inventions from around the world from the cutting-edge to the well established, telling the story behind the technology and essentially explaining how things work.

The SSTL/DMCii section is entitled “How do they make the satellites that provide pixel perfect pictures of the earth from deep space?”, which seems partucularly timely, considering the SSTL built UK-DMC2 and Deimos-1 satellites have just been launched and are supplying their first satellite images to DMCii as this blog is published.

For those readers outside the UK, the program will be followed by a US version on the Science Channel in early September. Space Blog will keep readers up to date nearer the time, with details where possible.