"Airbus is improving our ability to observe and understand our planet as well as democratizing access to space by accommodating more research and technology demonstrations on the ISS than ever before," explained Debra Facktor, head of U.S. Space Systems for Airbus U.S. "Our ArgUS platform on Bartolomeo will accommodate smaller payloads with the same power, data regulation, and monitoring as larger projects."
The Bartolomeo platform provides comprehensive mission services, including technical support and data transfer. Its location on the European Columbus Module offers an unobstructed view of Earth, enabling a range of Earth observation missions, robotic demonstrations, and materials science experiments.
The new ArgUS Multi-Payload Adapter further optimizes this capability by allowing smaller payloads to be hosted in shared slots. These slots, starting at 3U (300 x 100 x 100 mm), allow multiple experiments to operate simultaneously.
"ArgUS is essentially a cosmic co-working space, where diverse experiments perform side by side," added Facktor.
Initial operations for ArgUS-adapted payloads will begin this week. Among the first technology demonstrations is Sen's SpaceTV-1, a 4K camera system designed to provide real-time video of Earth from two perspectives - one forward-looking view at the horizon and one straight down at Earth. Additional cameras will capture footage of activities near the ISS's Harmony docking port. The 4K video feed will be freely accessible through the Sen app.
"We hope that our imagery will provide valuable and timely insights into environmental events, and we invite environmental agencies interested in working with our data to contact us," said Charles Black, Sen's founder and CEO. "Showing the reality that we all live on a beautiful planet has the potential to inspire global change."
BAE Systems is also utilizing ArgUS to test innovative hardware and software for Earth observation and weather monitoring. These demonstrations will evaluate new technology, such as a next-generation radio frequency receiver for atmospheric sounding and a short-wavelength infrared camera for low-cost environmental monitoring. BAE Systems' Linux-based software will also demonstrate the advancements in in-orbit data processing.
"Our goal is to take concrete steps toward improving our Earth observation and data processing capabilities and to exhibit our ability to rapidly develop these technologies at low costs," stated Steve Smith, vice president of the engineering, science, and analysis unit for BAE Systems Space and Mission Systems. "These demonstrations will help pave the way for further advancements in environmental monitoring, and we are thrilled to be working with the ISS National Lab and Airbus U.S. to make it happen."
Through ArgUS, researchers and organizations will now have affordable access to low Earth orbit, significantly lowering the barrier for conducting space-based research. The platform's high data downlink rate will also allow scientists to quickly retrieve critical data for their research efforts.
Related Links
ISS National Laboratory
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