Company - Atomos
Product/Service - Quark
- Classification
- In-Space Transportation
- Category
- Space Tug
In-Space Logistics
Resources - Energy
On-Orbit Servicing
Propellant Refuel Station
Propellant Refilling
- Fields
- In-Space Transportation
Transport Service (In-Space)
Transport Service (LEO-GEO)
Nuclear Power
Nuclear Propulsion
- Status
- Development, Launched
- First launch
- 2024
- Atomos plans to test a small Solestial photovoltaic panel on an orbital transfer vehicle demonstration set to launch on a SpaceX Transporter rideshare flight in early 2024. Solestial also will supply large solar blankets for two Atomos’ solar-electric OTVs slated to begin flying in late 2024 or early 2025.
- In terms of “kilowatts of output per kilogram of array, Solestial’s solution was really best in class,” Vanessa Clark, Atomos co-founder and CEO, told SpaceNews. “We can get 20 kilowatts of solar arrays for less than 100 kilograms.”
- Earlier this year, the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission validated Solestial’s claim that its silicon solar cells can effectively anneal (or cure) radiation damage under sunlight at 90 degrees Celsius.
SERVICES
- LEO transportation and deployment
- Advanced transportation and deployment
- Relocation
- Delivery and resupply
MISSION-1 - THE SINGING ASTRONOMER
- The five-year-old company will send up two spacecraft, an orbital transfer vehicle (OTV) called Quark and a target vehicle, Gluon. After separating from SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket, Quark will attempt to autonomously rendezvous and dock with Gluon, and then refuel from the target vehicle. During the mission, the two spacecraft will attempt to demonstrate additional maneuvers, including release, re-docking and orbital transfer.
- The two spacecraft will essentially demonstrate the method by which Atomos intends to deploy large satellite constellations, whereby customer payloads will be integrated to Gluon for launch and captured in-orbit by Quark.
Launched in March 2024 and regular updates provided on the website and LinkedIn. Power system issues as of May 2024.
GEO-1
GEO-2
Space startups eye opportunities in the orbital surveillance market, 2024-09-03.
- Atomos Space, is planning two missions to GEO where its servicing vehicle will attach SDA payloads developed by Katalyst Space onto commercial telecom satellites.
- Plans to launch its next mission in 2025 using its Quark vehicle to service an undisclosed customer. As part of the mission, the Quark will install Katalyst’s Sight sensor on a telecom satellite
- A 2026 mission will deploy a new Katalyst sensor called Shield, featuring multiple nested sensing payloads.
Status Comment / Notes
First two OTVs launched in March 2024, but transportation services do not seem to have been demonstrated as of late 2024.