New Smallsat Launch Program Will Fly Advanced Microwave Sounder

The launch and demonstration of a commercially-developed cubesat-sized microwave sounder for weather observations will be the first capstone deliverable of a new program in the UK. Seeking to increase its share of the global space market, the U.K. Space Agency is establishing a commercial launch capability for small satellites from a spaceport located in the Sutherland region of Scotland.

Lockheed Martin Space and its partners were awarded a grant through this UK Space Launch Program (UKSLP) to demonstrate an end-to-end launch and data services enterprise from the spaceport beginning in 2020. Key to the demonstration is the Small Launch - Orbital Maneuvering Vehicle (SL-OMV), co-developed by Lockheed Martin and Moog. The SL-OMV is a propulsive, survivable precision orbit insertion vehicle capable of dispensing six-6U cubesats into orbital planes as a cluster or phasing them for formation flying.

One of the slots on the first SL-OMV demonstration will be occupied by an advanced, compact microwave imager/sounder built by Orbital Micro Systems (OMS). OMS is planning a constellation of satellites carrying microwave sounders for high temporal revisit of global weather observations. Lockheed Martin and OMS will develop the ground architecture for demonstrating end-to-end data services including mission management, data exploitation, validation, and dissemination.

This paper will detail the UK SLP program, provide status, and describe the path forward.