![\"Astra](\"https:\/\/cdn.satnow.com\/news\/astra_C_638182539709868154.jpg\")
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Astra Space and Apex Technology announced a contract for Astra to initially provide 5 Spacecraft Propulsion Kits for Apex\u2019s satellite bus platform. Astra is expected to begin delivering the Spacecraft Propulsion Kits in 2023.<\/p>\n
The Spacecraft Propulsion Kit disaggregates the four subsystems of the Astra Spacecraft Engine module: (1) thruster, (2) power processing unit, (3) feed system, and (4) tank. This disaggregation enables satellite builders to take advantage of shorter lead times to access key components of their propulsion system that they can customize for their unique missions. Astra is adopting the way development kits have transformed the software industry and applying it to hardware by providing the tools and support to accelerate spacecraft development at scale.<\/p>\n
Apex\u2019s satellite buses are configured by customers to meet specific mission needs. Apex\u2019s 100 kg bus model, Aries, will use the Astra Spacecraft Engine to support its electric propulsion package. Apex customers are able to receive their spacecraft in a matter of months thanks to Apex\u2019s design-for-manufacturing approach, interoperable software, and product-first mentality.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Astra Spacecraft Engine has the flight heritage and the performance we need to deliver our satellite platforms to customers on schedule,\u201d said Max Benassi, Chief Technology Officer of Apex. \u201cAs Apex scales production, we look forward to continuing to work with suppliers like Astra who can meet our production ramp rates.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAstra and Apex share the common value of producing space products at scale,\u201d said Margo de Naray, General Manager of Astra Spacecraft Engines\u2122 at Astra. \u201cAstra\u2019s Spacecraft Propulsion Kits are expected to allow customers like Apex to shorten lead times to deliver on customer programs.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Astra Space and Apex Technology announced a contract for Astra to initially provide 5 Spacecraft Propulsion Kits for Apex\u2019s satellite bus platform. Astra is expected to begin delivering the Spacecraft Propulsion Kits in 2023. The Spacecraft Propulsion Kit disaggregates the four subsystems of the Astra Spacecraft Engine module: (1) thruster, (2) power processing unit, (3) […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[26,49,20,36],"class_list":["post-8662","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news","tag-ground","tag-propulsion-systems","tag-satellite","tag-thrusters"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8662"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8662"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8662\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8662"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8662"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8662"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}