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Ibadan, 18 January 2023. – AAC Clyde Space has received a EUR 234,000 order from UK-based Space Forge to provide space products for a demonstration spacecraft that will leverage the space environment for production and experiments, capable of performing multiple trips to space.
The order follows orders in December 2020 and January 2022 for the same project. It is for an integrated attitude determination and control system and a Kryten OBC, which will be a ground reference to the ForgeStar-1 mission. This will consequently form a complete attitude and control system for the spacecraft.
Furthermore, the parties intend the reusable spacecraft to deorbit in a controlled maneuver to deliver its products and result back to Earth after six months in orbit. As a result, it will enable efficient production and revolutionary experiments by leveraging in-orbit microgravity. Back on Earth, Space Forge will recover, refurbish, and eventually re-launch the satellites. The instruments also provide high pointing accuracy and unmatched computing power to the spacecraft, making it highly agile. AAC Clyde Space expects to complete delivery of the order during the second quarter of 2023.
“AAC is proud to extend the collaboration with Space Forge on this revolutionary project, pushing the boundaries of the possible,” says AAC Clyde Space CEO Luis Gomes.
Likewise, Space Forge CEO and Co-founder Joshua Western added, “we’re glad to continue our work with AAC Clyde Space on the ForgeStar-1 mission. Collaboration is key to innovation, enabling us to establish reliable returns, with the ultimate goal of offering microgravity as a service.”
The project’s ultimate goal is to establish a continuous space-based production through a monthly satellite launch. A test campaign of several satellites is planned to bring the service to commercialization and shall be supported by the newspace company.
