Momentus and Lockheed Martin have announced a launch service agreement for a 3U satellite in Lockheed Martin and SERC (Space Engineering Research Center) University of Southern California's (USC) smallsat program. The agreement is for Momentus' Shuttle Service to sun synchronous orbit (SSO) via a February 2021 SpaceX Falcon 9 launch.
The La Jument program includes four nanosatellites, with the first launching at the end of this year. The payload and bus will use Lockheed Martin's SmartSat software-defined satellite architecture first announced in 2019.
SmartSat lets satellite operators quickly change missions while in orbit with the simplicity of starting, stopping or uploading new applications. This specific nanosat includes optical payloads connected to SmartSat that will allow AI/ML in-orbit testing.
"We are honored to have been selected as a service provider for Lockheed Martin and SERC/USC's program advancing new SmartSat apps, sensors and bus technologies," said Mikhail Kokorich, CEO of Momentus. "We look forward to building a relationship to deliver future smallsat missions from Lockheed to orbit."
As a SpaceX rideshare partner, Momentus is manifested on rides to SSO and mid-inclined low Earth orbits, where the Vigoride transfer vehicle will be deployed to access custom deployment altitudes and orbits in space.
