NanoAvionics to launch its 5th satellite rideshare mission with new MP42 bus aboard SpaceX Transporter-4

Using the prototype of its new MP42 microsatellite bus, it is the fifth shared satellite mission by NanoAvionics, which has been one of the firsts companies in the nanosatellite industry to successfully kickstart and continue such a commercial programme. The launch of NanoAvionics’ satellite has been booked for the SpaceX Transporter-4 mission, planned for 2022.

The MP42 is also the company’s largest built satellite yet and the first commercially available modular microsat bus in the industry. It has the same modularity for hard- and software and mission operations infrastructure as NanoAvionics’ nanosatellites. It will be deployed into low Earth orbit (LEO) via a launch agreement with NanoAvionics’ launch partner Exolaunch, a German company providing launch, deployment and in-space transportation services. Exolaunch will also supply its CarboNIX separation ring to dock the MP42 to the SpaceX port aboard its Falcon 9 rocket.

Among other customer payloads aboard the MP42, NanoAvionics will integrate a second ‘cell tower in space’, dubbed “Tiger-3”, for OQ Technology’s 5G IoT/M2M communication constellation. The microsatellite will also host Veoware’s RW500 fully integrated reaction wheel for high performance satellite attitude control with next-generation high torque / low power technology.