Spire Global unveils its ‘one-of-akind’ satellite design

A space services firm that builds satellites in Glasgow has taken the wraps off a new “one-of-a-kind” design with a much greater payload.

Spire Global said its nextgeneration “satellite bus” was tailored for customers with space missions that require larger payloads and more power, volume and data capabilities. The firm, which operates the world’s largest mult-purpose satellite constellation, designs and builds its satellites entirely in-house at its manufacturing facility in Glasgow. It has built and launched more than 150 satellites.

Exolaunch’sexopodnova deployer, a custom launch deployer developed in partnership with Spire, has let the company optimise the capacity and volume of the satellite while still fitting into standard deployment settings. The design can accommodate payloads of up to 30 kilogrammes.

Joel Spark, co-founder and general manager, space services at Spire, said: “Our next-gen satellite has been a natural next step for us, driven by the needs of the market.”