‘Small-sat’ breakthrough for French group
August 2, 2019
By Chris Forrester
A major challenge for the new cluster of smaller satellite operators is safely releasing the satellites from the carrying rocket. When the rocket might be carrying 30-60 small – but extremely valuable – satellites the dilemma is critical.
Now a member of a French grouping of ‘space enablers’ under the banner of the Newspace Factory will unveil a new dispenser at the Small Satellite conference at the Utah State University in Logan,Utah on August 3rd – 8th.
Mecano ID is showcasing the 4 kg EOS device, which has been developed with the help of the French Space Agency (CNES) and Newspace Factory.
Mecano ID has 20 years of experience of working with space-qualified materials that must withstand the harsh environment of space. It successfully developed the sample container for the European Space Agency’s Mars Sample Return Mission, for example.
The company is one of 10 participants operating within the Aerospace Valley cluster of specialist businesses and despite only having been formed a year ago the group are now in dialogue with the likes of Lockheed Martin, SS/L, Boeing, Blue Origin, Rocket Lab, Spire, Airbus Defence & Space and Thales Alenia Space.
“The elements that caught the attention of these players include the high quality of the Newspace Factory industrial tool, the dynamism and energy of the group and their knowledge of space projects. These qualities are important elements to mitigate the risk generated by constellation projects,” said a statement issued by the group.