Rendering of Aurora Satellite Photo: MDA SPACE

Honeywell and Airborne Aerospace announced new deals to supply subsystems for the MDA Space Aurora satellite line, which supports anchor customer, the Telesat Lightspeed constellation. 

Honeywell’s satellite attitude control system has been selected. Honeywell will provide reaction wheel assemblies, 3-axis space rate sensors and magnetometer unit products for satellite attitude control systems to MDA Space. This technology provides control and steering for satellites to maintain proper altitude and position, which is essential for effective signal communication and solar power generation. 

Separately, Airborne Aerospace was selected by Airbus Netherlands to supply panel and yoke substrates for the Sparkwing solar arrays. Airbus is supplying MDA Space with more than 200 Sparkwing solar arrays wings under a deal announced in September.  These Sparkwings consist of two wings with five panels each and providing a photovoltaic area of over 30 square meters. 

Airborne will provide 700 high-precision and ultra-stiff composite substrate panels to Airbus. The Airborne production will deliver over 700 solar array substrate panels, ramping up to a consistent output of 40 panels per month for the MDA Aurora satellite line. 

Telesat and MDA Space recently completed the preliminary design review (PDR) for the Lightspeed Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) constellation.  The companies now move into the program’s detailed engineering and manufacturing phase, including the critical design review.