Helsinki-based ReOrbit hopes to reach a significant milestone in collaboration with the European Space Agency (ESA) next year. Through the ESA InCubed (Investing in Industrial Innovation) programme, the company will undertake an in-orbit demonstration (IOD) aimed at showcasing secure space-to-space and space-to-ground data transfer capabilities for Earth Observation (EO) applications.
This initiative marks a progression from the previous phase of the InCubed activity named UKKO, which focused on the development and demonstration of technologies tailored for future Earth Observation satellites.
The forthcoming IOD, scheduled for launch in the second quarter of 2025, will serve as an independent flight opportunity, hoping to prove ReOrbit’s prowess in avionics architecture and software stack implementation in space.
Advertisement
Software as a core
The core objective of the IOD phase is to exhibit the seamless integration of EO payloads with end users through an end-to-end value chain. This encompasses not only the transmission of data from satellites to ground stations, but also facilitates inter-satellite communication, thereby enhancing mission efficiency.
Key to achieving this vision is ReOrbit’s adoption of a software-first architecture, which underpins the development of intelligent, interconnected satellite platforms.
“We are thrilled to have partnered with the ESA InCubed Programme, which has helped to accelerate our commercial success,” remarked Sethu Saveda Suvanam, CEO and Founder of ReOrbit. “ReOrbit aims to become a leading player in the next generation of more modular, inter-connected missions, using software systems and satellite platforms with capabilities including: in-orbit autonomy, inter-connectivity, and reconfigurability.”
Additionally, central to ReOrbit’s strategy is the validation of its technology through real-world applications. The IOD mission will involve onboarding a commercial Earth Observation customer optical payload to demonstrate full operational capacity. Additionally, ReOrbit will equip the IOD bus with optical terminal capabilities, hoping to ensure secure data transfer between satellites and ground stations.
“We strongly believe that initiatives like ReOrbit’s UKKO, which leverage highly advanced flight software, open a host of opportunities in space applications,” remarked Daniele Romagnoli, Commercial EO System Engineer at ESA. “ESA’s InCubed Programme works with companies such as ReOrbit to boost innovation and the competitiveness of the European space industry.”
Advertisement
External validation
Additionally, in a testament to the commercial viability of its technology, ReOrbit has secured validation from KaleidEO, a subsidiary of SatSure Analytics India, for the products developed under the InCubed Programme. This collaboration aims to harness the potential of intelligent tasking and onboard data processing, revolutionizing the utilization of EO data.
“We are excited about our collaboration with ReOrbit and their software-first approach to satellite platforms,” said Akash Yalagach, Co-founder and CTO of KaleidEO. “This partnership will enable us to unlock the potential of intelligent tasking and onboard data processing, revolutionizing the collection, processing, analysis, and downlinking of imagery and insights from satellite data.”
Moreover, ReOrbit’s dedication to innovation is reinforced by its collaborations with industry stakeholders and support from entities such as Business Finland, the European Space Agency, and the European Commission.
With headquarters in Helsinki, Finland, and additional offices in Sweden and Argentina, the company continues to advance in satellite technology, hoping to make new standards for efficiency, reliability, and connectivity.
Advertisement
