Aurora Propulsion Technologies and Avaru Space enter into collaboration

Today Aurora Propulsion Technologies and Avaru Space enter into collaboration for a first In-Orbit-Demonstration (IOD) of the Avaru Space Pocket on board the AuroraSat-1 spacecraft. The flight has a planned launch date on the 14th of January 2021.

Avaru Space brings sharing economy into New Space by providing an easy means of adding test sample payloads to a satellite, namely the Space Pocket.

“Our dream is to get every satellite flight available for extra customers. We are now launching the Space Pocket to demonstrate this concept.”

Says Pasi Kaitila, Founder of Avaru Space.

Space Pocket is a solution for sending sample materials into earth orbit for testing and for inspiration. The compact and easy to integrate design of the Space Pocket allows for builders of even the smallest satellites to enter into partnerships to offer payload space on their spacecraft.

In addition to flying the Space Pocket on its’ spacecraft Aurora Propulsion Technologies helped Avaru Space design the Space Pocket as well as contracting its manufacture.

“We are extremely taken by Aurora’s agility, speed and capability for space grade manufacturing that made it all possible”

thanks Pasi Kaitila from Avaru Space.

Aurora Propulsion Technologies is running the AuroraSat-1 mission to demonstrate the space worthiness of its products, the Aurora Resistojet Module (ARM) and the Plasma Brake. One of the key objectives is to keep Earth orbits clean and sustainable. The Plasma Brake solution will create drag to slow down satellites allowing them to responsibly re-enter the atmosphere and burn safely at the end of their operations. The worlds smallest resistojet thruster modules unit provides an efficient way of steering the satellite and avoid collisions in orbit, The Modules use water as a propellant, keeping spacecraft free of toxic propulsion chemicals.

The AuroraSat-1 mission really pushes the limits:

“The idea for a satellite mission of our own rose from the need to demonstrate our capabilities in action. 11 months from idea into orbit, it must be a world record”

says Aurora’s CTO Perttu Yli-Opas and laughs.

Avaru Space Pocket Information can be found at https://www.avaruspace.com/space-pocket/
AuroraSat-1 mission can be followed on https://aurorapt.fi/aurorasat-1/
High quality images of AuroraSat-1 can be found at https://aurorapt.fi/media/