Terran Orbital Corporation, one of the global leaders in satellite-based solutions primarily serving the aerospace and defence industries, announced its wholly-owned international subsidiary, Tyvak International s.r.l., has been chosen as a prime contractor under a $4.7 million or €4.5 million contract by the European Space Agency (ESA) for a proximity operation and in-orbit servicing mission that will deploy a nanosatellite spacecraft from Space Rider, the European uncrewed robotic laboratory.

The deployed nanosatellite will perform proximity operations manoeuvres around Space Rider, demonstrating unprecedented in-orbit servicing capabilities. Space Rider will allow technology demonstration, and benefit research in pharmaceutics, biomedicine, biology, and physical science. At the end of its mission, Space Rider will return to Earth with its payloads and land on a runway to be unloaded and refurbished for another flight. 

Tyvak International develops the nanosatellite to be onboarded and deployed at any time during the experimental Phase in orbit, on one of the ESA’s Space Rider flight missions, paving the way for future recurring servicing missions. This contract is in partnership with a consortium of Italian industries and research institutions, including Polytechnic University of Turin, the University of Padova, and StellarProject SRL.

“Terran Orbital is honored to be selected once again for a prime contract with the European Space Agency,” said Marc Bell, Terran Orbital Co-Founder, Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer. “Using space technology for research in areas such as proximity operations and in-orbit servicing will be a huge benefit for our partners and the protection of precious and strategic orbital assets. I am excited to see Tyvak International s.r.l. in the forefront.”

Click here to learn more about the European Space Agency's Space Rider Mission.