News
Space BD completed the prelaunch technical integration and handover process of WARPSPACE’s smallsat WARP-01 Completed the final phase on the Earth to launch in early 2021
Tokyo- Space BD Inc., the leading Japanese space startup providing access to space, announced that they completed the prelaunch technical integration, environmental testing for WARPSPACE Inc.’s WARP-01 and successfully handed over it to Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). WARP-01 will be carried via an International Space Station resupply vehicle and launched to the ISS in early 2021.
Image：WARP-01©WARPSPACE
WARPSPACE aims to solve the lack of the telecommunication infrastructure to downlink the data to the ground by proving the optical link. WARP-01 is a1U Cubesat (108mm x 110mm x 113.5mm；<1.33kg) and WARPSPACE’s first satellite. The main mission is the in-orbit demonstration of its satellite bus components.
WARPSPACE and the University of Tsukuba newly develop the bus components. They developed new and cost-effective satellite bus components, a UHF communications module, an electric power supply module, an onboard computer module with GPS receiver IC, and an aluminum chassis.
Besides, as its submission, WARP-01 will survey the radiation environment in space. WARP-01 demonstrates the performance of a radiation sensor to survey the radiation environment in low-Earth orbit. Specifically, the sensor contains a micro SD card to observe single event upsets (SEUs) caused by beta radiation.
Lastly, WAPR-01 carries the wedding memorial plates into space, as part of a commercial mission. WARPSPACE aims to run a service to carry the memorial plates, which bring celebrations and wishes into space.
Since August 2018, Space BD has provided the one-stop service, including scheduling the launch opportunity, safety reviews following the environmental test results, and submission for administrative procedures. Space BD continues to work for WARP-01 to bring the mission to success.
To note, this is the first project which Space BD has been awarded by JAXA as the official service provider of smallsatellite deployment service from the ISS Kibo in 2018. The press release about the project in August 2018 is here.
Comment from Hirokazu Yokoyama, Manager, Engineering at Space BD
“I am pleased to hand over WARPSPACE’s satellite to JAXA. WARPSPACE’s initiatives are the first step to achieve the optical communication service. I am honored to support such projects. There are still some milestones left until the mission success, and we continue to support until the satellite deployment.”