NorthStar (Skylark)
| Constellation name |
Skylark |
| Constellation area |
SSA (Space Situational Awareness), Earth Observation, Infrared, Hyperspectral |
| Constellation info |
12 Skylark for tracking other satellites across multiple orbits and 40 follow-on with infrared and hyperspectral sensors for Earth. Track objects as small as 5 cm in LEO and 40 cm in GEO.
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| Constellation status |
Prototype(s) launched |
| Launched satellites |
4 |
| Planned satellites |
12 |
| Satellite size |
16U, Satellite |
| Manufacturer |
Spire, Thales Alenia, LeoStella |
| First launch |
2024 |
| Launch cadence |
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| Notes |
- Canada’s government has conditionally approved startup NorthStar Earth & Space’s plan to deploy 52 commercial imaging satellites to keep tabs on what’s happening in orbit and down below, 2021-08-24.
- 12 SSA satellites and 40 follow-on with infrared and hyperspectral sensors for Earth. As of early 2024, the latest news do not seem to mention EO constellations.
- The three 16U microsatellites built by Spire are scheduled for launch in mid-2023 and will reach low Earth orbit with launch services provider Virgin Orbit.
- NorthStar using Axelspace’s Earth-imaging satellites to monitor orbits, SpaceNews, 2023-01-13. Five Earth observation satellites from Japan’s Axelspace are helping NorthStar Earth and Space keep tabs on orbits ahead of the Canadian firm’s proposed Space Situational Awareness (SSA) constellation. During these dark periods, when the satellites are not needed for Axelspace’s imagery customers, their cameras can be pointed away from the Earth to snap objects above them.
- NorthStar, an in-situ space situational awareness (SSA) startup, has partnered with Rocket Lab to launch its first four satellites this Fall. Rocket Lab is tapping in after NorthStar’s planned Virgin Orbit launch bit the dust.
- Electron launches NorthStar satellites in latest recovery test, SpaceNews, 2024-01-31.
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| Photos |
 |
| Photo source |
[1] |
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| Logo |
 |
| Company name |
NorthStar Space and Earth |
| Previous names |
NorStar |
| Oneliner |
NorthStar is building the world’s first satellite constellation to combat the imminent threat of space collisions.
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| Funding |
$119M+ |
| Nation |
Canada, Luxembourg |
| Established |
2015 |
| Socials |
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Own nanosats
launched |
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Own nanosats
to be launched |
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Hosted payload on
launched nanosats |
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Hosted payload on
to launch nanosats |
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Last modified: 2024-06-12
