Blue Canyon Technologies (BCT), the small-satellite manufacturer and provider of mission services under RTX, has achieved a significant milestone with the successful launch and initial contact establishment of CubeSats for NASA's Starling mission. This pioneering endeavor is designed to validate the feasibility of cooperative clusters of spacecraft operating autonomously and synchronously, often referred to as a "swarm."

BCT contributed four 6U CubeSats to NASA's Small Spacecraft Technology program, overseen by NASA's Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley, California. This initiative is part of the agency's Space Technology Mission Directorate. The Starling mission aims to elevate the readiness of diverse technologies for collaborative groups of spacecraft by showcasing the capabilities needed for multiple small satellites to collect scientific data collectively. Over the course of six months, the mission will undergo specific tests to validate onboard swarm maneuver planning and execution, communications networking, relative navigation, and independent coordination among satellites.

John Carvo, the Executive Director of CubeSats at BCT, expressed their commitment to pushing the boundaries of possibility. He highlighted how BCT's contribution of established hardware for such demonstrations continually refines cost-efficiency and swift turnaround times for small constellation initiatives.

The quartet of satellites will be strategically positioned in a nearly sun-synchronous, low-Earth orbit, with all four units actively participating in the experiment.

BCT's involvement commenced with the delivery of the initial satellite for the mission in 2021. In addition to the satellite manufacturing, BCT plays a pivotal role in providing operational support for the Starling mission, aptly named after the avian creature renowned for its synchronous flight formation, or "swarm." This program was executed in Lafayette, Colorado.

Source:prnewswire.com