Topics
tardy
AI
Amazon
Image Credits:Apex Space(opens in a new window)
Apps
Biotech & Health
mood
Image Credits:Apex Space(opens in a new window)
Cloud Computing
DoC
Crypto
Enterprise
EVs
Fintech
fund raise
Gadgets
Gaming
Government & Policy
Hardware
Layoffs
Media & Entertainment
Meta
Microsoft
Privacy
Robotics
Security
Social
Space
Startups
TikTok
Transportation
Venture
More from TechCrunch
Events
Startup Battlefield
StrictlyVC
Podcasts
Videos
Partner Content
TechCrunch Brand Studio
Crunchboard
adjoin Us
Apex Spacejust proceed one step closer to its finish of upending planet bus manufacturing , with the startup announcing on Tuesday that its first vehicle is healthy on compass .
The society launch its first orbiter , the first of a course of instruction Apex is calling “ Aries , ” on SpaceX ’s Transporter-10 rideshare mission on Monday . Apex ’s mission operators were able-bodied to establish contact with the spacecraft very in brief after it deployed into cranial orbit because it happened to be flying over a land station , Apex CEO Ian Cinnamon said in a recent audience .
The troupe first receive what ’s called a UHF beacon — essentially a form of back - up radio sign — that transmitted data parcel on the space vehicle ’s state of wellness . missionary station operators were able to downlink a few of those state of health packets before switching to an S - band radio . This start the space vehicle to send a higher rate of data and , crucially , enabled bidirectional communication with ground stations .
This data confirmed that the space vehicle was alive and well in area — and Simon Marks , to the best of their noesis , a fresh record of one year for the firm clean tack intent to production ballistic capsule on domain .
Los Angeles - base Apex is now preparing to commence a series of tests on the fomite and its subsystems before turning the program over to customers . Those customer , who are not named , will consort their consignment for around six months .
It was n’t always part of the plan to fly customer payloads on this first mission , which was earlier designed as a technology sales demonstrator , Cinnamon said .
“ But as we started mouth to customers who would require to corrupt intact satellites for themselves , [ … ] they start saying , well as a agency to get to know you , why do n’t we pay you to put a small payload on here and screen something out for a few months ? That then led to us saying , Well , why not ? We have the way on it , it ’s ripe practice for us . We make a little bit of money and it ’s a good family relationship builder . ”
Join us at TechCrunch Sessions: AI
Exhibit at TechCrunch Sessions: AI
After customers complete their objective , the Aries SN1 orbiter will become an ongoing software testbed on orbit , which Apex will use to test escape software and the counsel , piloting and ascendence systems . The orbiter is design to last another five years in space .
“ That will be incredibly valuable over the next many years while the satellite stays in orbit , ” Cinnamon said .
Apex , whose backer includeAndreessen Horowitz and Shield Capital , is building productized orbiter buses to solve thesatellite bus “ bottleneck”facing the space diligence . In add-on to Aries , an ESPA - class spacecraft jalopy that can brook payloads up to 100 kilo , the company is also develop two with child passenger vehicle product lines , Nova and Comet . Apex is target to start output of these in 2025 .
