BOULDER, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Small satellite manufacturer and mission services provider Blue Canyon Technologies (BCT) today announced its role in supporting MIT Lincoln Laboratory’s Agile MicroSatellite (AMS) mission. BCT will design, manufacture and operate a 6U CubeSat the mission, which will be critical in demonstrating the potential low-altitude performance of CubeSats. Funded by the U.S. Air Force, launch is planned for late 2021.
CubeSats are smaller, quicker to build and launch, and far less expensive than conventional satellites. This first-of-its-kind mission will demonstrate that a CubeSat can reliably operate in very low earth orbit. AMS will initially launch to an altitude of 500 kilometers and will use electric propulsion to maneuver to the lowest altitude possible. By demonstrating CubeSat performance at such low altitudes, the U.S. Air Force, and others will be able to leverage the technology to conduct important new Earth observation and other civil and military space missions.
“Blue Canyon Technologies is a valuable partner to MIT as we continue to find new, efficient and reliable ways to develop and test solutions to ensure the United States is leading the globe in space research and aerospace technology,” said Andrew Stimac, Principal Investigator at MIT Lincoln Laboratory.
“CubeSats will continue to play a crucial part in refining the framework for conducting rapid space experiments, and we’re proud to partner with MIT Lincoln Lab on this mission,” said George Stafford, founder and CEO of Blue Canyon Technologies. “With this mission, we can continue to demonstrate the viability of small satellites in a low-Earth orbit, further highlighting the potential of CubeSats as a versatile next-generation technology, suitable for a broad range of applications.”
MIT Lincoln Laboratory conducts research and technology development of advanced satellite systems that are used to monitor the activity of objects in space and to perform Earth remote sensing. This mission supports the organization’s goal to rapidly develop and field-test innovative systems used by the U.S. Air Force, Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security, NASA, and other U.S. government agencies to gather data for the persistent surveillance of wide areas in space and on the earth.
BCT is currently building more than 60 spacecraft for government, commercial and academic missions. The company has doubled in size over the past 12 months and plans to open its new 80,000-square-foot headquarters and production facility in 2020.
About BCT
Blue Canyon Technologies, Inc., (BCT) a Colorado-based private company founded in 2008 to bring innovative, reliable and affordable solutions to space missions, is an experienced integrator of aerospace systems and developer of advanced aerospace products and technologies. BCT is a vertically integrated spacecraft manufacturer supporting nearly 40 unique missions with over 70 spacecraft. The company currently has more than 60 satellites in production and is developing a new 80,000-square-foot facility for high rate production.
BCT has supported missions for The U.S. Air Force, NASA, The Defense Advanced Research Project (DARPA) and many others and provided the Attitude Control Systems for the first interplanetary CubeSats which successfully traveled to Mars. The company has been recognized with awards including Inc Magazine’s 5000 Fastest Growing Private Companies, 2017 Colorado Companies to Watch, and the 2019 Colorado Biz Made in Colorado Emerging Manufacturer Winner.
For the latest news on Blue Canyon Technologies and for other company information, please visit www.bluecanyontech.com. You can follow the company on Instagram here or Twitter here.
