SpaceX has successfully launched its 13th dedicated smallsat rideshare mission, Transporter-13, on March 15, carrying dozens of small satellites into orbit. The mission included payloads from the US military and intelligence agencies, as well as commercial startups.
The National Reconnaissance Office’s technology demonstrator was one of the payloads on board, consisting of two cubesats designed for an unspecified research mission. Another commercial startup, Albedo, launched its first satellite, Clarity-1, which will operate in low Earth orbit to provide high-resolution imagery.
MuonSpace also launched its FireSat Protoflight satellite, a prototype for a planned constellation, with funding from the US Space Force’s technology arm. The company received $2.9 million to evaluate its technology for military applications. Turion Space deployed its Droid.002 spacecraft, designed for space situational awareness and monitoring, after securing a $1.9 million contract.
The mission also included Varda Space Industries’ W-3 reentry capsule, which will be used for in-space manufacturing and testing materials at hypersonic flight speeds. The capsule carries an Inertial Measurement Unit developed by the US Air Force and Innovative Scientific Solutions Incorporated, which will undergo testing at reentry speeds.
Source: https://spacenews.com/intelligence-and-dual-use-commercial-satellites-launch-on-transporter-13