SFL Missions Inc. to Develop Eight Spacecraft for NASA HelioSwarm Science Mission

SFL Missions Inc. has been awarded a competitive-bid contract to develop eight small satellites for the NASA HelioSwarm science mission designed to capture the first multiscale in situ measurements of fluctuations in the magnetic field and motions of plasma turbulence in the solar wind and Earth’s magnetosphere. SFL Missions will develop “Node” spacecraft that will be carried into a high-Earth orbit aboard a larger “Hub” satellite following separation from a commercial launch vehicle.

SFL Missions will design and build the eight 150-kg Node satellites using its DAUNTLESS platform. This high-performance satellite platform provides high power generation and significant propulsion capabilities which are crucial for this mission. SFL Missions will integrate the HelioSwarm instrument suite developed by the University of New Hampshire (in collaboration with partners at the Centre National d’Études Spatiales, the United Kingdom Space Agency, and the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory). SFL will then test the completed spacecraft and then support integration of the completed Node spacecraft onto the Hub satellite.

Once in high-Earth orbit, the nine-satellite constellation will fly in a series of complex formations to capture simultaneous multipoint, multiscale measurements of energy flow and spatial and temporal structure in solar wind plasma. All the spacecraft will be operated through NASA’s Deep Space Network, to allow telemetry, tracking and command, along with payload data downlink. 

“SFL Missions is pleased to have been selected to play a key role in the HelioSwarm mission following a rigorous sub-contract selection process,” said SFL Missions Director and CEO Dr. Robert E. Zee. “HelioSwarm is an important science mission that will provide critical insights into the dynamic interactions between the Sun's atmosphere and the Earth, including how turbulent energy moves through our protective magnetic bubble and impacts technological assets out to the Moon. This will be accomplished by leveraging our highly capable spacecraft platforms to achieve the demanding performance of the mission.”

Building on a 27-year legacy of operationally successful small satellite missions, SFL Missions is well positioned to meet the performance objectives of the HelioSwarm constellation. Design of the Node spacecraft will include state-of-the-art onboard propulsion systems to achieve the dynamic geometric configurations set forth in mission specifications. The Nodes will also utilize onboard ranging transponders instead of GPS to determine their positions given the near lunar apogee and above geostationary perigee of the orbits. All eight Nodes will be developed, integrated, and tested at SFL Missions facilities.

SFL Missions is building on a heritage that has produced 94 operationally successful missions and 425+ cumulative years in orbit. The firm is developing nano-, micro-, and small satellites and constellations using space-proven bus designs from 3 to 500 kilograms for Earth observation, communications, environmental monitoring, maritime situational awareness, space astronomy, scientific research and more.

Currently expanding its satellite manufacturing facilities, SFL Missions has 36 satellites under development or awaiting launch. In addition, SFL Missions offers a Flex Production program that will give customers the option of having satellites developed in their own location, at a third-party site, or at the SFL Missions facility.