LeoStella and Hera Systems Announce Strategic Manufacturing Alliance

LeoStella and Hera Systems Announce Strategic Manufacturing Alliance

Focused on revolutionizing satellite manufacturing and diversifying customers’ choices for multi-satellite solicitations, smallsat experts LeoStella and Hera Systems have announced a strategic manufacturing alliance. This collaboration will mitigate supply chain risks, increase the reliability of production and delivery schedules, and maintain competitive pricing for small satellite constellations.

LeoStella, a small satellite manufacturing company transforming constellation construction, and Hera Systems, a satellite company applying a new class of smart, high-performance spacecraft, introduced the collaboration through a combined manufacturing proposal for the Space Development Agency’s Tranche 2 Transport Layer. As part of the proposal, the companies will collaborate on manufacturing the Hera Systems’ Leoness Smart Bus product line. This space-proven platform lends itself to a range of mission applications, has a unique level of network security and mission-specific customization within a high-TRL (technology readiness level), and is SWaP-optimized (size, weight and power).

This collaboration leverages the proven, highly efficient manufacturing capabilities of LeoStella. To date, LeoStella has manufactured and delivered 20 satellites. LeoStella has a proven track record of delivering satellites right on time; the company’s satellites have over 37 years of on-orbit heritage and boast 99% mission availability, delivering high performance and remarkable reliability.

“Our shared pursuit of efficient manufacturing and supply chain management will enhance our competitiveness in a sector known for its complexity,” said Tim Kienberger, LeoStella CEO. “Roger [Hera Systems CEO] and I recognize the challenges many new space companies experience as they scale to meet production timelines for multi-satellite agreements. This strategic collaboration will leverage our resources to directly address schedule and delivery risks that other providers encounter due to supply chain constraints, facility limitations, and staffing shortages.”

LeoStella and Hera Systems and their respective leadership teams bring proven experience and a track record of success in satellite manufacturing. Together, the CEOs of LeoStella and Hera Systems have over six decades of collective leadership experience in space systems and hands-on expertise in effectively managing intricate space programs crucial to national security and innovative commercial solutions. Kienberger and Roberts have scaled aerospace organizations and are driven by delivering spacecraft on time, on budget, and mission-ready.

Dr. Roger Roberts, Hera Systems president, and CEO, further emphasized, “By strategically using our collective resources and expertise, we are tackling the challenges of the space industry head-on. This collaboration allows us to jointly mitigate capacity and supply chain risks that other manufacturers face independently. It enables us to pursue more ambitious projects and meet the associated customer schedule and cost challenges while facilitating measured growth and long-term success for both companies.”

The alliance between LeoStella and Hera Systems on the SDA Tranche 2 Transport Layer proposal marks the first collaboration in what is projected to be a long-term relationship to expand the smallsat ecosystem and ensure the rapid delivery of spacecraft for commercial and government customers.

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Publisher: SatNow

GNSS Constellations - A list of all GNSS satellites by constellations

beidou

Satellite NameOrbit Date
BeiDou-3 G4Geostationary Orbit (GEO)17 May, 2023
BeiDou-3 G2Geostationary Orbit (GEO)09 Mar, 2020
Compass-IGSO7Inclined Geosynchronous Orbit (IGSO)09 Feb, 2020
BeiDou-3 M19Medium Earth Orbit (MEO)16 Dec, 2019
BeiDou-3 M20Medium Earth Orbit (MEO)16 Dec, 2019
BeiDou-3 M21Medium Earth Orbit (MEO)23 Nov, 2019
BeiDou-3 M22Medium Earth Orbit (MEO)23 Nov, 2019
BeiDou-3 I3Inclined Geosynchronous Orbit (IGSO)04 Nov, 2019
BeiDou-3 M23Medium Earth Orbit (MEO)22 Sep, 2019
BeiDou-3 M24Medium Earth Orbit (MEO)22 Sep, 2019

galileo

Satellite NameOrbit Date
GSAT0223MEO - Near-Circular05 Dec, 2021
GSAT0224MEO - Near-Circular05 Dec, 2021
GSAT0219MEO - Near-Circular25 Jul, 2018
GSAT0220MEO - Near-Circular25 Jul, 2018
GSAT0221MEO - Near-Circular25 Jul, 2018
GSAT0222MEO - Near-Circular25 Jul, 2018
GSAT0215MEO - Near-Circular12 Dec, 2017
GSAT0216MEO - Near-Circular12 Dec, 2017
GSAT0217MEO - Near-Circular12 Dec, 2017
GSAT0218MEO - Near-Circular12 Dec, 2017

glonass

Satellite NameOrbit Date
Kosmos 2569--07 Aug, 2023
Kosmos 2564--28 Nov, 2022
Kosmos 2559--10 Oct, 2022
Kosmos 2557--07 Jul, 2022
Kosmos 2547--25 Oct, 2020
Kosmos 2545--16 Mar, 2020
Kosmos 2544--11 Dec, 2019
Kosmos 2534--27 May, 2019
Kosmos 2529--03 Nov, 2018
Kosmos 2527--16 Jun, 2018

gps

Satellite NameOrbit Date
Navstar 82Medium Earth Orbit19 Jan, 2023
Navstar 81Medium Earth Orbit17 Jun, 2021
Navstar 78Medium Earth Orbit22 Aug, 2019
Navstar 77Medium Earth Orbit23 Dec, 2018
Navstar 76Medium Earth Orbit05 Feb, 2016
Navstar 75Medium Earth Orbit31 Oct, 2015
Navstar 74Medium Earth Orbit15 Jul, 2015
Navstar 73Medium Earth Orbit25 Mar, 2015
Navstar 72Medium Earth Orbit29 Oct, 2014
Navstar 71Medium Earth Orbit02 Aug, 2014

irnss

Satellite NameOrbit Date
NVS-01Geostationary Orbit (GEO)29 May, 2023
IRNSS-1IInclined Geosynchronous Orbit (IGSO)12 Apr, 2018
IRNSS-1HSub Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (Sub-GTO)31 Aug, 2017
IRNSS-1GGeostationary Orbit (GEO)28 Apr, 2016
IRNSS-1FGeostationary Orbit (GEO)10 Mar, 2016
IRNSS-1EGeosynchronous Orbit (IGSO)20 Jan, 2016
IRNSS-1DInclined Geosynchronous Orbit (IGSO)28 Mar, 2015
IRNSS-1CGeostationary Orbit (GEO)16 Oct, 2014
IRNSS-1BInclined Geosynchronous Orbit (IGSO)04 Apr, 2014
IRNSS-1AInclined Geosynchronous Orbit (IGSO)01 Jul, 2013