Spacecraft platform for maneuvering through multiple orbits to undergo critical test
NewsMarch 20, 2024
KENT, Washington. Blue Origin will demonstrate the operational capabilities of its Blue Ring system in the upcoming DarkSky-1 (DS-1) mission, sponsored by the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), which would be a major step in a broader objective to facilitate space access, the company announced in a statement.
The Blue Ring system, designed to provide integrated services for space and ground communications, will be put to the test in various mission scenarios during DS-1, demonstrating features like space-based processing capabilities, telemetry, tracking, and command hardware, along with ground-based radiometric tracking systems, the statement reads.
This mission serves as a collaborative effort between Blue Origin and DIU, focusing on validating the Blue Ring's orbital payload and operational capacities, the company says. It will be a part of a National Security Space Launch, as arranged by the U.S. Space Force's Space Systems Command's Assured Access to Space Mission Manifest Office.
Along with allowing maneuverability across various orbits, the spacecraft platform offers in-space processing and onboard data storage access, the statement reads.
