Triton-X is a new micro-satellite product line with a launch mass of up to 200Kg that targets a competitive recurring price for serial production, addressing multi-mission applications and opportunities offered by small Low Earth Orbit constellations.
Triton-X is part of ESA’s programme of Advanced Research in Telecommunications Systems (ARTES). Like other Partnership Projects, it is expected to generate an exceptional return on investment to European industry and ESA’s Member States.
Six main industrial partners have currently formed the Triton-X European industrial consortium including: APCO Technologies (CH), ARCSEC (BE), ASP (DE), Edisoft (PT), EmTroniX (LU) and ESC (CZ).
The platform is optimised for so called “Rideshare missions”, suited to both well-established and emerging small launcher services. It will cover state of the art requirements for various commercial and institutional missions such as Communication, Earth Observation, In-Orbit Demonstration, Optical and Situational Awareness.
Enabling affordable Low Earth Orbit constellations is a key design requirement for this new platform. This means low recurring costs, with efficient manufacturing, assembly and testing processes optimised for fast time-to-market. To achieve these objectives, LuxSpace will draw on experience gained through missions such as ESA’s SAT-AIS ESAIL, successfully launched on 3rd of September 2020.
Elodie Viau, Director of Telecommunications and Integrated Applications at ESA, says:
“Europe needs a strong space sector to build and boost its digital economy. ESA is excited to partner with industry for such a competitive, cost-effective, and sustainable micro-satellite production standard that will drive smart and scalable multi-mission success stories.
We are proud to facilitate fast go-to-market cooperation between European developers for the Triton-X programme, and look forward to supporting the various LEO missions which will come to advance Earth from space for a brighter future.”
For Marc Serres, Chief Executive Officer at LSA: “Both LuxSpace’s experience and excellent synergies with national and European suppliers and partners have been instrumental in bringing the project forward so far. Triton X’s micro-satellite platform is a tangible example of Luxembourg’s space ecosystem’s assets, dynamism and fruitful collaboration with ESA. It will definitely be key in opening Luxembourg’s way to commercial space.”
For Edgar Milic and Oliver Salisch, Managing Directors at OHB LuxSpace, “Scientists and engineers have achieved marvels for the development of space systems and applications for decades – today that role is taken by value-oriented entrepreneurs. LuxSpace believes in Triton-X as a powerful, innovative and scalable enabler for space ambitions of business and institutional leaders, and is proudly guiding a talented industrial consortium to serve those ambitions.”
