Atomos Space
Atomos Space specializes in in-space logistics, offering services such as satellite relocation, deep space access, and constellation deployment. Their Quark orbital transfer vehicles, starting with Mission-1 in March 2024, provide cost-effective and versatile solutions for various space missions.
Services
Atomos Space offers a range of in-space logistics services. These include satellite refueling, deep space access, constellation deployment, and satellite relocation. The company also extends the life of satellites through station keeping and inclination reduction in GEO. By docking with client spacecraft, Atomos Space provides attitude control and propulsion. Additionally, it supplies Delta-V on demand, enabling access to new orbits and missions, from Low Earth Orbit (LEO) to asteroids. The company is aiming to reduce dependency on direct launches to specific orbits through its in-space transportation and deployment services.
Products
Atomos Space leverages a variety of Orbital Transfer Vehicles (OTVs) such as Quark-Alpha, Quark-Beta, Quark-Gamma, and Quark-Delta to fulfill its missions. Each OTV variant features distinct specifications to suit different mission requirements. Quark-Alpha uses 20kW solar arrays and krypton-based electric propulsion and can be launched as a secondary payload. Quark-Gamma is designed for high-thrust, rapid-response missions. Quark-Beta includes additional refueling interfaces while Quark-Delta serves deep space initiatives. The Gluon support vehicle houses additional propellant for Quark's refueling needs, stores, and hosts customer payloads, and aggregates multiple small spacecraft for easier launch.
Facilities and Capabilities
Atomos Space operates from a 20,000-square-foot facility in Broomfield, Colorado. This space supports rapid prototyping and spacecraft manufacturing. The company also maintains a state-of-the-art 20ft x 50ft air-bearing rendezvous test bed for developing and validating rendezvous and robotic capture systems. A unique facility called The Void is utilized for testing rendezvous, proximity operations (RPO), and spacecraft docking and capture systems. These facilities enable Atomos Space to develop and validate its innovative space logistics capabilities efficiently.
History
Atomos Space was founded in 2018 with the mission to make any orbit as accessible as Low Earth Orbit (LEO). Since then, the company has focused on building an in-space logistics network comprised of Orbital Transfer Vehicles (OTVs). The launch of its first Quark Orbital Transfer Vehicle, Mission-1, is scheduled for March 2024. This mission, known as The Singing Astronomer, will demonstrate key capabilities such as rendezvous, docking, refueling, and orbital transfer with the Quark-LITE and Gluon spacecraft.
Mission-1: The Singing Astronomer
Scheduled for March 2024, Mission-1, named The Singing Astronomer, will mark the first flight of the Quark Orbital Transfer Vehicle. This mission aims to validate several critical technologies such as autonomous rendezvous, docking, refueling, and orbital transfer. It will feature the Quark-LITE and Gluon spacecraft. Gluon will support Quark by housing additional propellant and hosting an operational customer payload. Mission-1 is a pivotal step in Atomos Space's quest to build a reliable in-space logistics network.