Today Astranis announced SpaceX as their launch partner for four MicroGEO satellites, two of which belong to Anuvu as part of the Anuvu Constellation. Falcon 9 will launch the satellites in to service as a dedicated launch—meaning all satellites on board the vehicle will be Astranis McroGEO satellites—in 2023. This means that unlike other small so-called “ride share” satellites that need to wait for the schedule of the primary payload, we will have a launch vehicle and launch schedule totally in the control of our partner Astranis.
This is exciting news as a next step in the Anuvu Constellation; it not only shows the progress that Astranis is making, but ensures a launch vehicle during a time when supply is potentially constrained.
Read the full press release here.
Q&A
What does this mean for our customers?
This announcement doesn’t immediately impact our customers, but it does reconfirm our partnership with Astranis, and their progress with the MicroGEO program.
What does this mean for Anuvu?
For Anuvu, this confirms that first two satellites for the Anuvu Constellation will be launched on SpaceX’s Falcon 9.
Our constellation of MicroGEO satellites will be a major part of Anuvu’s hybrid network strategy, consisting of:
- LEO, providing low-latency global coverage
- MicroGEO , delivering additional, targeted capacity in the regions of highest demand
- GEO capacity, providing further back-up where required
What does a dedicated launch mean?
Our satellites, along with two other Astranis MicroGEO satellites, will be the only payload on the launch vehicle, giving more control from a scheduling standpoint. Also, because we will not be using the full payload, the rocket will take the satellites closer to their orbit, reducing orbital raising time to get to the GEO arc and thus time until entry to service.
What upgrades will be included in the 2nd version of satellites?
The first two Anuvu MicroGEO satellites will be the second generation Astranis MicroGEO design, with upgraded components delivering increased throughput, extended mission lifetime and higher redundancy. We have been planning on using these capabilities from day 1 so all our descriptions of the constellation substantially factored in these upgrades.
Are we doing any other business with SpaceX?
There are no other business announcements with SpaceX at this time.
When are these satellites going to launch?
We are on schedule for 2023 and will announce more details, including the dates at a later time.
What geographies will these satellites cover?
The US and the Caribbean, serving both airlines and cruise operators.
