Near Space Launch: NSL Builds NanoRacks Satellite for Asgardia

With over 200,000 citizens around the globe and a pending request for national status with the UN, Asgardia aims to be Earth’s first extraterrestrial nation. Asgardia partnered with NanoRacks, a leading provider of commercial access to low-Earth orbit, to manufacture and oversee the satellite mission that will enable Asgardia to make its debut in space.

NanoRacks selected NSL to build the satellite because of previous mission success, integrity, and quick turnaround time. The satellite is designed to carry a payload of energetic particle sensors, and a 512GB hard drive which contains the beginnings of Asgardian space presence.

The satellite’s dimensions will measure roughly 10x10x22cm. NSL’s unique payload will enable regular communication between Earth and the Asgardian’s satellite through our EyeStar S2 Simplex and Duplex radios and Globalstar’s 30 satellite constellation, regardless of the satellite’s position in orbit. This satellite will come after six consecutive successful space missions from NSL, which have served a variety of scientific purposes and communities worldwide.

NSL Chief Engineer Jeff Dailey says, “I am enthusiastic about the concept of inspiring people to have a more active and critical role in global space awareness, exploration, education and problem solving.”

“NSL has been a strategic vendor to NanoRacks in the Asgardia-1 program,” says NanoRacks Director of Houston Operations, Marcia Blount. “Their services align with our turnkey solution we offered to Asgardia, and we look forward to bringing the first space nation’s satellite to orbit in near record time.”

The satellite, Asgardia-1 is slated to be launched on an Orbital ATK rocket to the International Space Station this Fall. The satellite will then deployed from the External Cygnus NanoRacks CubeSat Deployer, mounted on the outside of the Cygnus spacecraft. The satellite will be deployed from Cygnus after the vehicle departs from its primary mission at the Space Station.

For more information, contact the main office at 765-998-8942 or email us at NSL@nearspacelaunch.com, or view our website at nearspacelaunch.com

About NSL

NearSpace Launch Inc. is a 2014 start-up based in Upland, IN. NearSpace Launch manufactures and produces custom satellites, radios, and balloons for a variety of educational, commercial, and government applications.

(Basic Schematic Diagram of Asgardia-1)

About NanoRacks

NanoRacks LLC was formed in 2009 to provide commercial hardware and services for the U.S. National Laboratory onboard the International Space Station via a Space Act Agreement with NASA. NanoRacks’ main office is in Houston, Texas, right alongside the NASA Johnson Space Center. The Business Development office is in Washington, DC. Additional offices are located in Silicon Valley, California and Leiden, Netherlands.

In July 2015, NanoRacks signed a teaming agreement with Blue Origin to offer integration services on their New Shepard space vehicle. NanoRacks, along with partners at ULA and Space Systems Loral was also recently selected by NASA to participate in the NextSTEPs Phase II program to develop commercial habitation systems in low-Earth orbit and beyond.

As of June 2017, over 550 payloads have been launched to the International Space Station via NanoRacks services, and our customer base includes the European Space Agency (ESA) the German Space Agency (DLR,) the American space agency (NASA,) US Government Agencies, Planet Labs, Millennium Space Systems, Space Florida, NCESSE, Virgin Galactic, pharmaceutical drug companies, and organizations in Vietnam, UK, Romania and Israel.

Asgardia, The Space Nation, was founded by Dr. Igor Ashurbeyli on October 12, 2016. Please visit asgardia.space for more information.

nearspacelaunch.com by David Meleski, NearSpace Launch, Inc.