CAPE CANAVERAL—Startup Quantum Space is targeting October 2024 for the launch of the first in a series of spacecraft to provide space situational awareness (SAA), host customer payloads and perform other services in cislunar space.
The Rockville, Maryland-based company, co-founded by former NASA Administrator Steve Jurczyk, said on Oct. 26 that GEOST and Blue Canyon Technologies have joined the Quantum Space-1 (QS-1) team.
“In less than a year we have significantly grown our team … to achieve our bold mission of transforming space commerce beyond Earth orbit,” Jurczyk, who serves as president and CEO, said in a statement. “I look forward to continuing our momentum toward our first operational flight.”
QS-1 is being designed to fly primarily around the Earth-Moon-Lagrange Points 1 and 2 (EM-L1 and EM-L2). “Key mission objectives will include producing space situational and space domain awareness data products, hosting customer payloads, advanced cislunar navigation methods, and autonomous station keeping,” Quantum said in an announcement.
Lagrange points are locations in deep space where gravitational forces acting between two bodies cancel out, allowing a spacecraft to maintain orbit with fewer propulsive maneuvers.
Quantum plans to use commercial ground station networks for space-to-ground communication with QS-1.
Under multiple agreements announced on Oct. 26, GEOST will provide the QS-1 tracking sensor and Blue Canyon will manufacture the satellite bus.
Once the QS-1 vehicle design is completed, Quantum plans to announce its launch service provider and other partners.
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