Transporter-13: Spotlight on Rideshare 2024-Blaze
Our teams have been busy with preparations for Transporter-13, our second SpaceX rideshare launch of the year. It’s slated to lift off on a Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex-4 East at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. (This is our 7th Transporter mission and we have many more planned. Let us know if you want to get on board an upcoming one.)
Three payloads on our Transporter-13 manifest, OrCa2b, RapSat-1 and BMM, were part of the U.S. Space Force (USSF)’s Space Systems Command (SSC) contract which was awarded to SEOPS for the Rideshare 2024-Blaze mission. SEOPS was selected for this contract last year to provide comprehensive mission management, integration services as well as deployment systems.
Let’s learn a bit more about these payloads:
Orbital Calibration 2b (OrCa2b): The Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech), in collaboration with the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI), has developed the Orbital Calibration 2b (OrCa2b) mission to improve space domain awareness. OrCa2b’s external panels have precise and well-characterized reflective properties that will permit various calibration activities from ground-based optical sensors, with the goal of improving the tracking and detection of resident space objects (RSOs). OrCa2b is a 12U CubeSat designed, fabricated, assembled, and tested almost entirely in-house using GT/GTRI facilities. It will be regularly observed using Georgia Tech’s Space Object Research Telescope (GT-SORT), with additional tracking support from the International Laser Ranging Service (ILRS). A number of experiments can be conducted with these measurements, such as pose estimation, validation of RSO trajectory propagations with complementary ground-based laser ranging data, multi-spectral analysis, low-light detection algorithms, and validation of atmospheric scattering models.
Orbital Calibration 2b (OrCa2b)
RapSat-1: Rapid agile production of ThinSats (RAPSat) will deliver 4 ThinSat slot constellations to improve the rapid demonstration of space force subsystems to warfighter. The objective of the mission is to build and deliver a flight prototype platform for LEO rapid demonstration of ThinSats ready for orbit in a 6U launcher, and to show advanced manufacturing is achieved. The mission includes several cutting-edge power innovations. This mission is in partnership with the U.S. Space Force Space Systems Command to include the Space Test Program, Space Command & Control, and Mission Manifest Office, and Small Business Lead NearSpace Launch, Inc.
RapSat-1
Buccaneer Main Mission (BMM): Hailing from Australia, the main objective of BMM is to collect high-frequency (HF) measurements in low Earth orbit to better understand radio-frequency propagation through the ionosphere. The CubeSat also has a laser communication capability from space to ground, as well as a satellite self-imaging camera system. In addition, experiments will be conducted to explore trusted autonomy. This mission is in partnership with the U.S. Department of Defense Space Test Program, Inovor Technologies Pty Ltd, Australian National University (National Space Test Facility, and Heavy Ion Accelerator Facility), University of South Australia, University of Sydney, SmartSat Cooperative Research Centre and the Australian Nuclear Science & Technology Organisation.
BMM – Photo Credit National Space Test Facility, Australia
Congratulations to all the teams involved. Let’s go Transporter-13!
To watch the live broadcast of lift-off, follow SEOPS on LinkedIn. We’ll share more details on the exact time and date for launch when they become available.