CIRA's Space Qualification Laboratory, with the participation of Powerflex S.r.l., continues to support D-ORBIT S.p.A., in the ION-mk02 platform space qualification process. The collaboration has so far involved 7 satellites, from SCV-003 to SCV-009; of these 4 are currently fully operational in space. The success of the vibrational tests allowed the ION satellites to be launched in space from Cape Canaveral (Florida) with Space X's Falcon 9 launcher providing for the release of numerous satellites, all fully operational. The other three platforms are expected to be launched by the end of 2022.
Particularly versatile and efficient ION systems offer services to customers from all over the world. In addition to transporting satellites into space and releasing them into their precise operating orbital positions, ION can also host payloads such as innovative technologies, experiments by research agencies, and instruments that require in-orbit testing. In the most recent missions, for example, demonstrations were carried out in orbit of an on-demand cloud computing and data storage service and an optical communication device and conducted a SETI experiment (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) in collaboration with the INAF.
About D-ORBIT S.p.A.: https://www.dorbit.space/about-us
D-Orbit is a market leader is the field of space logistics. Its solutions, based on proprietary technologies, enable the optimization of operations both in orbit and on the ground through last-mile delivery of satellites, orbital transportation, space logistics, and space waste management. The company's competitive advantage is the versatility of its launch and deployment services, which can be tailored to the needs of any space mission. The options range from the launch procurement of a single spacecraft using standard deployment strategies to the precise deployment of an entire constellation with ION Satellite Carrier, an orbital transfer vehicle developed and operated by D-Orbit.
