Astranis reported on January 10th that all four of its recently launched broadband satellites, part of the Block 2 series, have successfully completed early tests and initiated their journey to geostationary orbit using electric propulsion. These satellites launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on December 29th.
This launch marks a significant improvement following the malfunction of Arcturus, Astranis' first spacecraft, which experienced issues with its solar array drive assemblies after reaching orbit in May 2023, preventing it from fulfilling its mission for Pacific Dataport.
Astranis CEO John Gedmark stated via email, “We’ve spent a week and a half checking out and testing every subsystem on the spacecraft and everything looks fantastic. We are now through initial commissioning, with all systems operating nominally, and we’ve kicked off electric orbit raise. Many potential mission risks are now behind us, and all four satellites came out the other side in great shape.”
Block 2 incorporates several upgrades, including new software-defined radios, an enhanced gimbal system extending operational lifespan to at least eight years, and a reflector designed for 12 gigabits per second of Ka-band throughput, all successfully deployed. The company aims to activate Block 2 services by mid-2024.
The satellites have been allocated to various customers: NuView Alpha and NuView Bravo will provide coverage for Anuvu's inflight connectivity services across the Americas; Agila will serve HTechCorp in the Philippines; and UtilitySat will initially cover Mexico for Apco Networks.
Astranis also plans to launch Block 3 satellites later this year, including a replacement for Pacific Dataport, a spacecraft for Orbits Corp, and one for Thaicom. Each satellite, weighing 400 kilograms, is designed for smaller regional coverage compared to traditional, larger GEO satellites.