Articles from Space Flight Laboratory

Space Flight Laboratory (SFL) has completed assembly of the Aspera space astrophysics microsatellite bus. The spacecraft is ready for integration with the far-UV Aspera telescope being built by the University of Arizona. SFL will perform instrument-spacecraft integration and testing at its Toronto facility later this year with launch slated for early 2026.

Space Flight Laboratory (SFL) announces the launch and deployment of Canada’s Gray Jay Arctic surveillance technology demonstration mission. Developed by SFL for Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC), the three 30-kg formation-flying microsatellites launched January 14 aboard the SpaceX Transporter-12 rideshare from Vandenberg Space Force Base.

Space Flight Laboratory (SFL) has confirmed the successful launch and deployment of Norway’s NorSat-4 maritime monitoring microsatellite. The seventh spacecraft developed for the Norwegian Space Agency (NOSA) by SFL, NorSat-4 carries a fifth-generation Automatic Identification System (AIS) ship tracking receiver and a first-of-its-kind low-light imaging camera.

Space Flight Laboratory (SFL) confirmed that HawkEye 360 Cluster 11 has been successfully launched and deployed in orbit. The three-satellite Cluster is the fourth integrated by HawkEye 360 at its Virginia facility under the SFL Flex Production Program.

Space Flight Laboratory (SFL) is one of five organizations honored as team recipients of the 2024 Alouette Award for the BRITE-Constellation space astronomy mission. SFL, now a four-time Alouette winner, designed and developed the six BRITE nanosatellites launched in 2013 and 2014.

Space Flight Laboratory (SFL) has been chosen by NUVIEW, a space-technology company specializing in 3D Earth imaging, to develop the bus for Mr. SPoC, its pathfinder small satellite that will demonstrate the capabilities of the world’s first commercial space-based LiDAR constellation.

Space Flight Laboratory (SFL) confirmed that HawkEye 360 Cluster 10 has been successfully launched and deployed in orbit. Cluster 10 brings to 30 the total number of radio frequency geolocation microsatellites developed for HawkEye 360 by SFL and is the third Cluster integrated at HawkEye 360’s Virginia facility under the SFL Flex Production Program.

Space Flight Laboratory (SFL) has been contracted by GHGSat of Montreal to develop two additional greenhouse gas monitoring microsatellites – GHGSat-C12 and C13. SFL will develop the new satellites on its low-cost, high-performance 15-kg NEMO bus, the same used to build the first nine GHGSat spacecraft.

Space Flight Laboratory (SFL) confirmed that six radio frequency geolocation microsatellites developed for HawkEye 360 of Herndon, Va., have successfully communicated with ground control. The HawkEye 360 Cluster 8 and 9 satellites were launched yesterday at 7:16 pm EDT from Florida aboard the SpaceX Bandwagon-1 Rideshare.

The NorSat-TD demonstration microsatellite developed by Space Flight Laboratory (SFL) for the Norwegian Space Agency (NOSA) has successfully transferred data to a ground station using optical communications technology. The accomplishment is a first for a Dutch-built laser communication device and among the first achieved by a microsatellite.

70 Operationally Successful Smaller Satellites

TORONTO, Sept. 06, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Space Flight Laboratory (SFL) is pleased to announce the SFL-built GHGSat greenhouse gas monitoring microsatellites have achieved sustained detection and measurement of methane emissions at double the design capacity of the satellites. Under contract to GHGSat, SFL developed all nine operational 15-kilogram GHGSat spacecraft on its low-cost, high-performance NEMO microsatellite bus.

TORONTO, July 18, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Space Flight Laboratory (SFL) today announced the launch and orbital deployment of the Telesat LEO 3 demonstration microsatellite at 1:27 UTC, July 18. Carried into orbit from New Zealand by the Rocket Lab Electron launch vehicle, LEO 3 is the 13th successful deployment of an SFL-developed microspace mission in 2023.

TORONTO, June 21, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Space Flight Laboratory (SFL), a developer of comprehensive microspace missions, announced the completion of the Telesat LEO 3 demonstration microsatellite. SFL shipped the spacecraft from its Toronto integration facility to New Zealand where it arrived this week at the Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1.