SEOPS Integrates SAT GUS, the Highly Anticipated “Selfies in Space” Spacecraft on Upcoming Transporter-12 Mission with SpaceX
Company’s latest rideshare mission supports the launch of Tyvak International’s custom-built 12U satellite.
Houston, TX – January 9, 2024 – SEOPS, a leading provider of responsive launch services, announced it is providing capacity, integration and mission management services for a groundbreaking spacecraft, coined SAT GUS, on the upcoming Transporter-12 Rideshare mission with SpaceX. The SAT GUS satellite, designed and built by Tyvak International of Milan Italy, aims to allow people to snap selfies in space, with Earth as the backdrop.
The “Space Selfie project”, launched by CrunchLabs, an initiative founded by Mark Rober, a former NASA engineer and YouTube content creator, aims to send participants’ selfies to space, display them on a satellite-mounted phone, and capture a photo with Earth in the background before sending it back to the participant.
“Making space more accessible for all is at the heart of our business,” said Chad Brinkley, CEO of SEOPS.
“Working once again with the teams at SpaceX and Tyvak to secure the capacity, integrate the spacecraft onto the Falcon 9, and provide mission management services for SAT GUS is extremely rewarding. We’re proud to support CrunchLabs’ efforts to engage, inspire and increase public interest in space exploration.”
Headed to low-Earth orbit, the Transporter-12 mission is targeted to lift off on a Falcon 9 no earlier than January 2025 from the Space Launch Complex 4E at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. SpaceX hosts a live webcast that begins approximately 15 minutes before liftoff and is available on spacex.com and on X @SpaceX. Follow SEOPS or SpaceX for more launch updates.
In addition, SEOPS recently announced it signed a contract with SpaceX for a dedicated Falcon 9 direct-to-GTO rideshare mission in late 2028, as well as capacity on many other missions headed to sun synchronous and mid-inclination orbits. The company collectively brings expertise from more than 400 satellite deployments, including for the U.S. Space Force, NASA, and NRO. To date, SEOPS has managed 16 rideshare launches, including many SpaceX Transporter and International Space Station cargo rendezvous missions.
About SEOPS
U.S.-owned and operated, SEOPS is a leading provider of integration and launch solutions for smallsats headed to LEO, cislunar, and beyond. The team brings years of experience and trusted relationships with launch vehicle providers, helping customers expertly execute mission campaigns for education, scientific advancement, and national security needs, including tactically responsive rideshare launch. SEOPS’ comprehensive launch services, from capacity procurement to flexible deployment systems, orbital transfer vehicle solutions, mission design and integration services, ensure payloads get on orbit in the most seamless, cost-effective way possible. For more information or to book your next launch, visit seops.space.
