SpaceX’s second CAS500 (Compact Advanced Satellite 500) mission to low-Earth orbit (LEO) carried, among others, three satellites using buses from small-satellite manufacturer Kongsberg NanoAvionics into orbit:
- Eycore-1, a pilot for an all-European, military-grade Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) solution and NanoAvionics’ platform debut for SAR applications,
- QUBE II, demoing the first-ever quantum key exchange between a CubeSat and a ground station,
- and SNAPPY (Solar Neutrino Astro-Particle PhYsics), the world’s first space-based neutrino detector.
Following a successful launch, NanoAvionics’ mission control established contact with all satellites under its operations on the first attempt. This continued the company’s 100% first-contact success rate and brought the total number of NanoAvionics-built satellites launched to more than 60. The mission also carried several constellation operator satellites built by them in-house using NanoAvionics‘ power and communication systems.
Atle Wollø, CEO of Kongsberg NanoAvionics, said: “CAS500-2 was a very exciting launch as it carried three highly innovative and important satellite missions for cutting-edge science, unhackable communications and strategic reconnaissance. These missions further demonstrate NanoAvionics’ capability to adapt to diverse customer missions across science, communications, and defence applications. The Eycore-1 mission marks our platform debut for SAR applications and reflects how we help partners like Eycore to deliver critical capabilities. By integrating Eycore’s SAR technology with NanoAvionics’ flight-proven platforms, our companies are expanding Europe’s access to sovereign intelligence and surveillance. This mission adds SAR to our supported application portfolio, alongside optical and thermal imaging, RF maritime surveillance, and signals intelligence. It highlights our ability to support national security with cost-effective and mission-ready satellite platforms.”
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