AstroForge advances the DeepSpace Bus, a modular spacecraft platform designed to provide affordable and flexible access to deep space for commercial companies, research organizations and technology developers. Engineered to support payload missions beyond Earth orbit, the platform enables customers to fly scientific instruments, technology demonstrations and commercial payloads on a standardized spacecraft architecture while reducing mission cost and development complexity. The DeepSpace Bus is scheduled to begin supporting payload opportunities in 2026.
The spacecraft is built around a compact, modular architecture that accommodates payloads of up to 50 kg on a 200 kg spacecraft bus. Designed with plug-and-play interfaces, the platform allows rapid integration of sensors, payloads and propulsion configurations to support diverse mission objectives. Its ESPA-class compatibility enables integration with standard launch interfaces, making the spacecraft launch-provider agnostic and simplifying access to multiple commercial launch services.
A key feature of the DeepSpace Bus is the electric propulsion system, which provides a total delta-v exceeding 5 km/s for deep space transfers and orbital manoeuvres. The spacecraft is equipped with 2 kW beginning-of-life solar power generation, a 1 kWh battery system and is designed for missions lasting up to two years. These capabilities enable long-duration operations while supporting a broad range of exploration, scientific and commercial missions beyond Earth's gravitational influence.
The platform incorporates autonomous spacecraft technologies to reduce operational complexity during deep space missions. AstroForge states that the spacecraft can operate for more than one week without ground contact, while over-the-air software updates provide operational flexibility throughout the mission. Communications are supported through secure S-band links, with a future roadmap that includes optical communications for higher-capacity data transmission during deep space operations. Designed as a reusable mission platform, the DeepSpace Bus supports a wide variety of payloads, including optical, infrared, radio-frequency (RF), space domain awareness, spectroscopy and asteroid mining systems. Its modular architecture enables applications ranging from scientific exploration and technology demonstrations to asteroid prospecting, proximity operations, resource utilization research and future commercial mining missions. The standardized spacecraft design also provides customers with dedicated mission support, transparent mission planning and streamlined payload integration.
By combining modular payload accommodation, electric propulsion, autonomous operations and scalable deep space capabilities, AstroForge is developing a spacecraft platform that lowers the barriers to interplanetary missions. The DeepSpace Bus is intended to provide commercial organizations, research institutions and government customers with a cost-effective pathway for deploying payloads into deep space while supporting the broader development of the cislunar and deep space economy.
About AstroForge
AstroForge is a U.S.-based space technology company headquartered in California. The company develops spacecraft, deep space mission platforms, and asteroid mining technologies focused on the exploration, prospecting and extraction of valuable resources from near-Earth asteroids. Through its DeepSpace spacecraft family and asteroid missions, AstroForge aims to expand commercial activity beyond Earth orbit and enable sustainable utilization of space resources.
Click here to learn more about AstroForge's DeepSpace Bus
