Ibadan, 8 August, 2023. – Pale Blue has announced receiving a new contract from Yonsei University in South Korea to provide the Resistojet (0.5U-sized water vapor) propulsion system for a pair of 6U* satellites. The propulsion system will enable a formation flying for a laser crosslink system between the two nanosatellites in LEO and conduct optical communication between the two satellites.
The laser crosslink payload employs a deployable optical telescope to compensate for the compact bus capability of a typical CubeSat platform. With this novel design, a stable communication link is achievable at a distance of up to 1000 km. The tentative data rate is at least 1 Gbps, which
is a challenging objective with respect to the efficient and low-cost nature of the systems.
“We are glad to work together with Pale Blue on this project. Our mission aims to demonstrate cutting-edge laser communication, with orbital maneuvering and formation-keeping playing a central role,” said Sang-Young Park, Professor, Dept. of Astronomy at Yonsei University. “These thrusters perfectly meet our requirements and offer the advantage of being environmentally friendly and free from regulatory constraints. We look forward to continuing this successful collaboration in our future missions.”
Likewise, Jun Asakawa, CEO and Co-Founder of Pale Blue, said, “I am truly grateful for this opportunity to cooperate with Yonsei University on their project. I am sure our water-based thrusters can contribute to the satellite’s formation control and establishment of their outstanding communication technology.”
In addition, through collaboration with Yonsei University, Pale Blue will expand the business by strengthening partnerships in Asia. The
company will create mobility capabilities that are core to the space industry while providing the water-based propulsion systems to the global market.
