Momentus Inc., a commercial space company offering in-space satellite transportation and infrastructure services, and ProXopS, LLC, a Texas-based systems engineering and integration company founded in 2010 with a concentration in space related technologies, announced today the execution of a launch agreement for several slots in Vigoride rideshare missions from Q4 2021 to 2023.
The agreement includes the deployment of multiple satellites for the VariSat constellation. ProXopS has partnered with Momentus to deploy up to 24 VariSat satellites in Sun Synchronous Orbit starting in Q4 2021. VariSat will enable new and extremely robust data communications protocols to worldwide users and provide a hybrid network capable of surviving nuclear attacks on current DoD satellite assets. VariSat takes advantage of the diffractive/reflective properties of some part of the radiofrequency (RF) spectrum (1.7 MHz to 30 MHz) in the ionosphere. The Earth’s ionosphere provides an “umbrella-like” ionospheric reflector that gives each satellite unprecedented over the horizon ground coverage.
“We are very enthusiastic to partner with ProXopS on this exciting project. Humanity’s first satellite – Sputnik 1, utilized the same technique of ionospheric refraction to receive signals on the opposite side of the Earth!” said Mikhail Kokorich, CEO of Momentus. “We are glad that our hub-and-spoke transport model will be used to deploy a constellation critical for national defense.”
“Through this partnership, with the orbit transfer and precise insertion offered by Momentus, we will be able to deploy our constellation multiple times faster while still enjoying the benefit of low-cost rideshare launches,” says Chad Brinkley. “Momentus’ unique service will be enabled by water plasma propulsion technology, which combines both efficiencies of electrical propulsion and the simplicity and robustness of chemical thrusters.”