Scout Space, one of the leading in-space observation service providers focused on space security and comprehensive Space Domain Awareness (SDA), announced its optical payload dubbed "Sparrow," launched aboard the Apex Aries bus on the SpaceX Transporter-10 mission in March 2024, has successfully completed commissioning and captured its first in-space calibration image.

This achievement represents the successful launch, commissioning, and operation of Scout's second optical payload—underscoring the company's commitment to enhancing space safety and improving multi-domain SDA capabilities.

Following the successful image capture, Sparrow will continue to collect high-resolution in-space data for undisclosed customers.

"We are pleased to report the successful deployment and operation of our second optical sensor payload in orbit, which captured its first imagery today," stated Philip Hover-Smoot, CEO of Scout Space. "With each successful launch, we move closer to achieving Scout’s vision of enhancing Space Domain Awareness through the proliferation of secure, platform-agnostic sensing solutions. This achievement underscores the dedication of both the Scout team and the Apex team, reflecting our shared commitment to advancing space technology.” 

“First light” image captured by Sparrow onboard Apex Aries satellite bus (5.30.2024  6:25 GMT)

The deployment of Sparrow represents not only a technological triumph for Scout Space but also signifies a significant step forward in its proliferated sensors program. Scout continues to work towards the deployment of a distributed network of diverse sensors across various orbits to enhance space surveillance, monitoring, and threat detection.

The high-resolution imagery captured by Sparrow will continue to provide invaluable insights and in-space data to government and commercial partners, further advancing their understanding of the space environment and enabling increasingly complex on-orbit operations.

From its inception, Scout has championed the concept of a platform-agnostic family of proliferated systems as the most effective means to provide comprehensive SDA across orbital regimes. The company looks forward to collaborating with Apex to provide invaluable insights to enhance spacecraft operations and mission effectiveness.

Click here to learn more about Scout Space's optical payload systems.