WASHINGTON — U.S. defense contractor SAIC announced May 5 it’s going to partner with European manufacturer GomSpace to develop small satellites for U.S. government agencies, business firms and universities.
The businesses signed a memorandum of understanding April 18 on the Space Symposium in Colorado Springs.
SAIC signed the same agreement last 12 months with small satellite startup Rogue Space Systems.
Based in Reston, Virginia, SAIC is seeking to grow its space business integrating business satellite buses and payloads at a newly expanded research-and-development facility in Charleston, South Carolina.
The corporate is standing up an area systems development center throughout the 300,000 square foot facility to be able to perform payload, cubesat, smallsat and launch rideshare integration.
Firms to supply space hardware, software and services
David Ray, senior vice chairman of SAIC’s space business unit, said in a press release May 5 that the agreement with GomSpace is “one other vital step in SAIC’s technique to leverage its heritage and deep technical expertise in legacy space systems development right into a leadership position in the brand new space economy.”
On the Charleston facility, SAIC, Rogue Space and GomSpace North America — a subsidiary of Denmark-based GomSpace Group AB — will construct cubesats and smallsats for space domain awareness, autonomous rendezvous and proximity operations, and in-orbit servicing, the corporate said.
SAIC will likely be GomSpace’s U.S.-based licensed product distributor, services reseller, and space vehicle and mission integrator.
As well as to completely integrated spacecraft, the businesses plan to also offer software products, spacecraft components, in-orbit services and mission operations.