Redwire Announces Development of New European-Built Very Low Earth Orbit (VLEO) Spacecraft Platform called Phantom
May 13 2024 - 6:30AM
Business Wire
Reinforces Redwire’s international leadership in VLEO
capabilities
Redwire Corporation (NYSE: RDW), a leader in space
infrastructure for the next generation space economy, today
announced Phantom, a new European Very Low Earth Orbit (VLEO)
spacecraft platform. Phantom is being developed at Redwire’s
facility in Belgium and is designed to carry out a wide array of
intelligence, Earth science, and communications missions. Phantom
joins Redwire’s American-built VLEO spacecraft platform, SabreSat,
that was recently unveiled.
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Redwire's Phantom European VLEO Platform.
Image: Redwire
Phantom, like its American counterpart, is intended to fill many
different roles in a reliable and cost-effective way. Leveraging
over four decades of heritage in satellite design, development and
in-orbit operations, Phantom has an aerodynamic design that reduces
propellant requirements, and could allow the satellite to stay in
VLEO for up to five years. The design also uses standardized
off-the-shelf hardware to reduce manufacturing costs and, with a
total anticipated spacecraft mass of less than 300 kg, is
compatible with existing small satellite launchers.
Redwire will advance Phantom’s design and development through
the European Space Agency’s VLEO mission: Skimsat, on which Redwire
is working together with Thales Alenia Space in the United Kingdom.
The main goals of Skimsat are boosting satellite sustainability and
mission performance while reducing spacecraft mass and mission cost
by enabling sustained operational capability at lower altitudes. In
addition, the Skimsat platform design team seeks to improve key
elements such as overall system performance, subsystem modularity,
supply chain sustainability and safety of operations in VLEO.
“As a worldwide leader in developing and providing VLEO
capabilities, Redwire is thrilled to continue its trailblazing work
in VLEO with the new European-built Phantom platform,” said Pete
Cannito, Redwire Chairman and CEO. “We believe that VLEO will be a
critical domain for the future of defense and intelligence
operations, and we are proud to be leading the way in bringing this
untapped orbit from concept to reality.”
The strategic significance of VLEO is growing for Earth science,
intelligence, communications, and defense and security
applications. While low Earth (LEO) and geosynchronous (GEO) orbits
are becoming increasingly congested and contested, spacecraft in
VLEO operate in a relatively unimpaired environment. Bridging the
gap between air and space, VLEO spacecraft fly above airborne
anti-access areas while operating significantly closer to the Area
of Responsibility on the ground than existing satellites.
Additionally, unlike LEO and GEO, debris in VLEO deorbits in hours
or days rather than in decades or more.
With Phantom and SabreSat, Redwire is pioneering a new frontier
in space. These flexible, resilient, and cost-effective spacecraft
will be useful for applications ranging from communications and
space domain awareness to high-resolution Earth imaging. These
innovative designs build on Redwire’s heritage as a leader in the
space economy and are paving the way for a new market for VLEO
satellites.
To learn more about Phantom and SabreSat, visit the Phantom web
page and the SabreSat web page.
About Redwire
Redwire Corporation (NYSE:RDW) is a global space infrastructure
and innovation company enabling civil, commercial, and national
security programs. Redwire’s proven and reliable capabilities
include avionics, sensors, power solutions, critical structures,
mechanisms, radio frequency systems, platforms, missions, and
microgravity payloads. Redwire combines decades of flight heritage
and proven experience with an agile and innovative culture.
Redwire’s approximately 700 employees, working from 14 facilities
located throughout the United States and Europe, are committed to
building a bold future in space for humanity, pushing the envelope
of discovery and science while creating a better world on Earth.
For more information, please visit redwirespace.com.
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Investors: investorrelations@redwirespace.com
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