The Scottish small satellite manufacturer Clyde Space has announced that it has won a construction order for three small cubesat-derived data relay satellites. The bus designs will be built in Scotland with the participation of the contracting firm, a California based start-up Audacy. The three satellites will be launched in 2019.
The three spacecraft will act as technology demonstrator satellites and will be located in Medium Earth Orbit (MEO). If the concept proves successful, Audacy plans to build a small constellation of much larger satellites. They will carry data from other satellites to ground stations in a similar way that NASA uses its TDRS data relay satellites.
Audacy comsat concept. Courtesy: Audacy
