The Aerospace Corporation’s Slingshot 1 mission is successfully demonstrating the potential for modular technologies to improve the flexibility of satellites and expedite the integration timeline for payloads. The 12-unit Slingshot 1 CubeSat enabled a variety of experiments across 19 different payloads by connecting them to the satellite bus using a simplified “plug-and-play” interface, demonstrating the use of open standards and non-proprietary interfaces for on-orbit experiments.

The ability to quickly design, build, and deliver advanced prototypes was a key focus of Aerospace’s Slingshot 1 mission, highlighting the possibilities for rapid prototyping facilitated by streamlined payload provisioning. With its one-year mission now fulfilled, Slingshot 1 has now started an extended operations period to complete some experiments and provide continued service for customers.

“The journey from a concept, to forming a team that will build it to spaceflight standards using established processes and then testing it is usually a long road,” said David Hinkley, Senior Project Leader at Aerospace’s xLab. “Rapid prototyping paid off for Slingshot 1 in a big way, and not just by reducing turnaround time. The standard bus interface brought down the cost per payload, allowing a greater number of experiments on this mission.  The experience gained by the payload engineers is valuable to future endeavors as payload developers or advisors to the government.”