Judging by recent plans unveiled for new satellite models and the buzz surrounding hosted payloads, the commercial satellite sector seems to have noticed the trend of increasing demand for smaller, alternative military space platforms. In late July, ATK expanded its product line of small, agile satellite buses designed for a wide range of missions in civil, national security and commercial applications in both near-term and long-term markets.
   ATK’s expanded A-series product line consists of four basic configurations: the A100, A200, A500 and A700 models, with elevated platforms of A150, A250 and A550, which aim to provide broader capability and flexibility for customers. The products are designed for a range of mission requirements based on mission class, design life, propulsion, pointing accuracy, payload mass and launch compatibility.
   Via Satellite spoke with ATK Space Systems Vice President and General Manager Tom Wilson about what the company’s new A-series of satellites means for both the military and hosted payload markets.

Via Satellite: What motivated ATK to add the A-series to its satellite portfolio offering for microsats and nanosats? Did it have anything to do with the military’s search for milsatcom alternatives?

Wilson: The A-series can serve both the military/government market along with a variety of other markets. Our expanded family of space platforms will enable us to capitalize on the up swing we expect to see in a number of our targeted market segments. Our diversified, balanced approach across multiple markets will take best advantage of the increase in microsat missions, continued demand for small, rapidly developed spacecraft and the game changing, on-orbit satellite servicing market.

Via Satellite: Can you describe the individual components of the A-series?

Wilson: The ATK A100 is our small bus offering for microsats and nanosats. The ATK A200 series features our Responsive Space Modular Bus (RSMB), which aims to provide considerable power, precision pointing and significant data throughput for sophisticated military and scientific payloads. The ATK A500 series offers a High End Modular Bus (HEMB) that allows for increased payload complexity and size, as well as extended life.

Via Satellite: The Hosted Payload Summit featured the DARPA Phoenix program during the keynote lunch. Is the HEMB tied to that project?

Wilson: Yes. The HEMB is the platform selected for the DARPA Phoenix mission to conduct on-orbit satellite servicing and repurposing. The ATK A700 series bus is the largest mission class and is the foundation of the ViviSat Mission Extension Vehicle (MEV).

Via Satellite: Can you explain some of the technology design elements that you are developing for DARPA? How will ATK use these elements to help support DARPA’s Phoenix program?

Armor: The Naval Research Laborator issued a notice of intent to contract with ATK to modify an existing satellite bus owned by the US government for the geostationary Phoenix mission. The bus, developed by ATK, will be tailored as a servicer/tender platform to conduct rendezvous and proximity operations, and robotic servicing activities. Baselined to launch on an EELV, the servicer/tender will also carry multiple “satlets”, similar to nano-satellites, that are designed to attach to an aperture harvested robotically from a non-functional or end-of-life satellite, essentially creating a new spacecraft in orbit. In the future, these satlets could be launched into space carried by pods hosted on commercial or other launches, where they would be used to continue Phoenix Operations beyond the initial mission.
    Also, the Satellite Capture Tool (SCT) that we are developing is one of two tools that will go on the end effectors of the DARPA repurposing robot’s arms. We’re providing sort of a tool belt for DARPA, and the SCT and the Aperture Grasp and Severing Tool (AGST) will act as a couple of the tools in the tool belt. There are a number of other tools that DARPA is going to need to complete their full mission. In this case, the SCT capture tool will be able to grab an out-of-control satellite at a wide variety of part points, such as a separation ring or several other structural pieces. The SCT has to be pretty flexible in grabbing these targets that may not be under control.