The 3U CubeSat is designed by Tyvak with a commercial partner to demonstrate Search & Rescue capabilities, it is a machine-to-machine communication demonstration and validation vehicle, designed to acquire signals from Ground Terminals and downlink to Ground Stations. Payload is a UHF software defined radio (SDR) equipped with a customized deployable helix antenna.

The two 6U CubeSats are part of a novel mission concept consisting of two satellites based on the 6U Tyvak recurrent platform. The mission is developed and operated by Tyvak in the framework of ESA Earth Observation Small Satellite Challenge. The satellites carry 6 payloads including a GNSS-Reflectometer, two optical inter-satellite link payloads, an Hyperspectral imager and two RF-inter-satellite link payloads.

The space qualification tests, carried out at CIRA, allowed to qualify the three CubeSats at operational loads (vibrational, mechanical shock and thermal vacuum) that will affect the satellites during launch, release and staying in orbit.

Tyvak International is the European subsidiary of Terran Orbital and leading aerospace provider of nanosatellite and microsatellite vehicles, services and solutions. The experience gained and the technical capacity of the team give Tyvak International a significant heritage in the development of small satellites and related advanced technologies, design and operations of space missions and the provision of launch services.

About Tyvak International: https://www.tyvak.eu