CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla.—Sidus Space, Inc., reported that it established two-way communications with its 3D-printed satellite, LizzieSat™. The satellite is focused on earth observation and remote sensing solutions powered by Geospatial Artificial Intelligence (Geo-AI), according to a release from Sidus Space.
Sidus, a multi-faceted space and data-as-a-service satellite company, said in the release that a state-of-the-art production process is used to produce the hybrid 3D-printed LizzieSat. Markforged flame-retardant Onyx FR-A material is used to produce the bus structure with metal-like strength, while also reducing cost, weight, and production time, the company said.
Once full production cadence is achieved, the expected time to manufacture the satellites, including printing and assembly, is 45 days. Sidus said that following the successful launch and deployment of its first LizzieSat earlier this year, it has two additional LizzieSats manifested for launch before the end of the year.
“Sidus’s cutting edge, state-of-the-art LizzieSats are at the core of our high-margin data-as-a-service business model,” said Sidus Space CEO and Founder Carol Craig, in the release. “The combination of our rapid, 3D-printing production process, our multi-sensor coincident data collection, and the integration of on-orbit AI gives Sidus an edge as we build our satellite constellation to collect and sell data to our customers.”
Capable of integrating multiple sensors, LizzieSat facilitates simultaneous data collection to support agriculture, maritime, oil and gas, and other industries. The sensors and receivers include hyperspectral, multispectral, automatic identification system (AIS), and optical technologies. Additionally, the satellite features Sidus’s onboard FeatherEdge AI hardware and software for near real-time, actionable intelligence processing of imagery and sensor data, the company said.
Sidus Space focuses on mission-critical hardware manufacturing; multi-disciplinary engineering services; satellite design, production, launch planning, mission operations; and in-orbit support. The company operates a 35,000-square-foot manufacturing, assembly, integration, and testing facility in Cape Canaveral.