Sidus Space Inc (NASDAQ:SIDU) announced that it has received Autonomous Satellite Technology for Resilience Applications (ASTRA) Flight Software Version 1.0 and ASTRA flight hardware from NASA Stennis and installed it on its LizzieSat satellite ahead of its upcoming launch on SpaceX Transporter 10 in the first quarter of 2024.
The company said that NASA Stennis has completed its Flight Readiness Review ahead of the launch and will be one of six payloads on LizzieSat.
Before the next operational phase of on-orbit testing, ASTRA software has been loaded onto ASTRA Flight Hardware and received by Sidus for installation on LizzieSat.
Sidus said that following the satellite’s launch, the NASA Stennis Autonomous Systems Laboratory team will send targeted satellite operations commands for its ASTRA Flight Software to perform via the Sidus flight computer.
The first version of the software includes vehicle systems management capabilities and the ability to update software versions and add capabilities during the mission which it noted could last more than two years.
“The integration of the NASA Stennis ASTRA software will provide us with the necessary flight heritage for future deep space missions, and we are excited to begin this process,” Sidus Space CEO Carol Craig said in a statement.
“This is an important step for the two organizations and the industry as a whole as we step further into space and beyond.”
Stennis Center director Dr. Rick Gilbrech added: “This will be the first time NASA Stennis has flown software to space, and we are excited to join Sidus Space for this mission. It is a great opportunity to demonstrate the capabilities of the NASA Stennis software, as well as the center’s autonomous systems team.”
Sidus Space is a multi-faceted Space and Data-as-a-Service company focused on mission-critical hardware manufacturing; multi-disciplinary engineering services; satellite design, production, launch planning, mission operations; and in-orbit support.
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