Fleet Space increases satellite coverage

Fleet Space has launched its Centauri 5 satellite using the Space X Falcon 9 launch vehicle, its seventh satellite in space so far.

Centauri 5 will be placed in low earth orbit (LEO) at an expected altitude of some 530 kilometres. A 6U sized microsat with a total weight of 12 kilograms, it will add capacity, reduce latency and provide additional network redundancy in the existing six-strong Centauri constellation, which Fleet operates in collaboration with Tyvak International.

Upgrades to the Centauri 4 payload include enhancements that mitigate the effects of radiation in LEO, direct communication links to Fleet’s ground station and an extended S-Band range, allowing uplink at standard ground station frequencies. Digital beamforming provides extra gain, increasing the data rate and allowing the S-Band frequency channels to be reused on the different beams. This combination increases the satellite’s data capacity by 2.6 times.

The all-metal patch antennas are all entirely 3D printed. The advances in 3D printing technology used in the construction of its patch antenna also feed into the development of the forthcoming fully 3D printed micro Alpha constellation, scheduled for launch during 2023. Together, the two systems will provide continuous coverage, data rates up to 520 kbps and tailored frequency bands.