Start-up Quantum Space has announced at the AIAA Ascend Conference that it will launch its own space situational awareness (SSA) pathfinder mission to cislunar space dubbed QS-1. The QS-1 spacecraft, which will be launched in October 2024 by an as yet unidentified rocket, will collect SSA data via a visual imaging payload provided by GEOST. The spacecraft will spend most of three year mission operating in a halo orbits around the Earth-Moon L1 nearside and L2 far-side Lagrangian positions.
Hosted payloads will also be carried on the 400 kg spacecraft which will be built using a Saturn small satellite bus/platform provided by Blue Canyon Technologies. While there are few spacecraft for the GEOST payload to spot, with new interest in the moon, there is now a need to spot and track spacecraft and spent rocket stages.
Artist’s impression of QS-1 space situational awareness spacecraft near Moon. Courtesy: Quantum Space
