Innovation and disruption have reached every corner of the NewSpace sector. Atomos Space is one such innovator, transforming how we operate in space with orbital transfer vehicles. The orbit raising and precision asset placement company helps grow the space sector to prominence through its emergent technologies.
Atomos disrupts the current rocket landscape by adding a second logistics step to satellite launch. Space tugs in orbit provide last-mile services, including orbit raising, precision insertion, phasing and plane changes. Completed in rapid and cost-efficient frameworks, Atomos uses high-power electric propulsion and proprietary all-pervasive rendezvous operations to tackle any challenges.
The company is currently developing high-powered electric propulsion spacecraft to provide these services to satellite operators. Starting with their solar power electric systems, the company’s ultimate mission is to operate nuclear electric spacecraft and become the go-to railroad of the space industry.
At the 2019 Space Summit, Atomos won the New Space Track award for solving the last-mile issue in space by providing in-space transportation that will help reduce launch costs for many operators. This could potentially help get us sustainably to the moon and back, but also deeper into space, landing on planets like Mars in less than two months.
A Deep (Space) Dive into Atomos’ Technology
Thanks to Atomos, their trans rockets no longer need to go all the way to the specific orbit for a specific satellite. With their space tugs, rockets can launch all satellites to a single drop-off point and then Atomos takes it from there. It works like this: Atomos’ customers, predominantly telecommunications providers, launch on any rocket to an accessible orbit, like they do today, but now satellites going to different destinations can ride share, something never before possible.
Atomos plans to rendezvous with customers in space by taking them to their final destination before the space tug returns for more satellites. This meets three needs: lowers the cost to orbit by 30 percent, decreases the time it takes satellites to get into space by 50 percent and increases the number of orbits that can be reached with a single rocket. This is made possible by propulsion 10x more efficient than traditional combustion engines. By 2021, they plan on sending their first vehicle to space.
With the technology they describe as “the technology as tomorrow,” the company plans to revolutionize space travel and access to it. Recently, Atomos Space has received $2 million in contracts from the DoD and NASA for transportation using its last-mile orbital transfer vehicles, but they also have plans to further their progression and immediately provide value to their customers and the growing space economy in its entirety.
Check out Atomos’ inspiring work at AtomosSpace.com
