Orion Space Solutions, a wholly owned subsidiary of Arcfield, announced that its Rapid Revisit Optical Cloud Imager (RROCI) satellite was successfully launched on March 4. This state-of-the-art electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) weather system (EWS) spacecraft will provide high-resolution Earth observations and infrared data, allowing for accurate and up-to-date weather forecasting for the U.S. Space Force's (USSF) Space Systems Command (SSC).

SSC selected Orion and its team of partners to design, develop, and demonstrate its 8-channel RROCI prototype in support of its EWS program. Orion's RROCI imager utilizes commercial off-the-shelf systems to characterize cloud cover, mitigate weather risk, and provide on-the-ground weather data. During its one-year demonstration, the RROCI payload will also compare its outputs to existing U.S. weather satellite data, all from a 12U CubeSat that meets USSF's rigorous demonstration mission requirements.

"We are thrilled to support the U.S. Space Force with our advanced weather satellite," said Chad Fish, Orion general manager and president. "Ensuring the safety and success of military operations such as maritime surface tracking, adversarial missile observation, and intelligence collection, depends on having access to reliable weather data. We believe RROCI's capabilities will make a significant contribution in this regard and are honored to be trusted with this work."

The Orion team of expert engineers and scientists developed the RROCI satellite for USSF from its state-of-the-art facilities in Louisville, CO. The novel spacecraft has undergone rigorous testing to ensure its capabilities meet the government's required demonstration mission capabilities. Over the next 12 months, the Orion team will manage on-orbit operations and data collection for RROCI.

"Not only does this deployment mark a significant milestone for Arcfield, as we continue to expand our portfolio of space-based solutions through our Orion business," said Kevin Kelly, chairman and president of Arcfield. "It also marks a significant milestone for our Department of Defense mission partners as we work together to develop innovative solutions in support of our nation's space superiority objective."

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