Muon Space, an end-to-end Space Systems Provider revolutionizing the way Earth is monitored from space, announced the successful deployment and operational status of its second ESPA-class satellite, MuSat2. Launched aboard SpaceX's Transporter-10 mission from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on March 4, MuSat2 is equipped with advanced software-defined radio frequency instrumentation to gather new insights for DoD weather programs.
MuSat2 includes Muon Space's advanced space-qualified software-defined radio system, which performs high-speed bi-directional communications and produces science-quality radio frequency (RF) signal observations with very high bandwidth.
"Muon Space's investment in cutting-edge, software-defined technologies, as demonstrated in MuSat2's RF payload, underscores our commitment to enabling rapid deployment of new space sensing capabilities for our customers," said Pascal Stang, CTO of Muon Space. "Muon Space delivers complete mission solutions to the most challenging sensing requirements, rapidly and reliably."
In addition to its advanced communication functions, MuSat2 uses signals of opportunity from GPS and other satellites to produce high-gain, dual-polarization, bi-static radar measurements for DoD customers, filling critical observational gaps in soil moisture, ocean winds, and space weather conditions.
"Building upon the ground-breaking NASA CYGNSS and multi-agency COSMIC missions, this sensing approach leverages the power of high performance, disaggregated SmallSat constellations to achieve unprecedented resolution and temporal sampling of key climate variables," said Dan McCleese, chief scientist of Muon Space. "Muon Space is leading a revolution in applying the power of LEO satellite constellations to the most urgent problems facing the planet."
Innovative missions like MuSat2 are enabled by Muon Space's high-performance, modular satellite architecture. Its flexibility empowers customers to customize and deploy mission-specific payloads with speed, reliability, and efficiency.
"Muon Space is dedicated to providing end-to-end solutions tailored to our customers' needs," added Stang. "From early mission formulation to launch and data delivery, we are fully committed to supporting our customers at every stage of their mission journey."
The Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) announced a partnership with the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center (AFLCMC)'s Weather Systems Branch to develop ground, air, and space-based prototypes for global weather sensing. Muon Space was one of five companies selected in October 2022 to demonstrate new approaches to addressing key Space-based Environmental Monitoring gaps. AFLCMC's Weather Systems Branch then awarded Muon Space an option to their contract in July 2023.
MuSat2 follows nine months after Muon Space's first satellite launched in June 2023, demonstrating the unmatched speed and agility unlocked by the company's team and technologies. Muon Space continues to accelerate its launch cadence of customer missions supporting next-generation sensors and technology that will provide transformative, actionable insights on Earth's vital signs and the fingerprints of a changing planet.
Click here to watch the SpaceX Transporter-10 Rideshare Mission.
