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NanoAvionics debuts 500 kg MP42D satellite platform
Early customers of Gen-2 MP42 satellites include Satlantis, SuperSharp, Kreios Space, and KONGSBERG.
nanoavionics.com
Kongsberg NanoAvionics has expanded its small satellite portfolio with the launch of the Gen-2 MP42 product family. The ITAR-free, modular microsatellite buses are designed for demanding Earth observation, synthetic aperture radar (SAR), signals intelligence (SIGINT), and optical communications missions across commercial, civil, and defense sectors.
Fleet Expansion and the MP42D Flagship
The Gen-2 lineup introduces the MP42D, an ESPA-Grande-compatible platform capable of supporting a total spacecraft mass of up to 500 kg and payload capacities of up to 250 kg. The platform accommodates:
- Very High-Resolution Earth Observation: Optical imaging and video payloads achieving resolutions greater than 50 cm ground sampling distance (GSD).
- Thermal and Radar Sensing: Advanced synthetic aperture radar (SAR) systems and meter-class mid-wave infrared (MWIR) imagers.
- High-Throughput Communications: Active phased-array antennas, multi-kilowatt battery packs, and kilowatt-class solar arrays.
- Optical Data Links: Configurable optical intersatellite links (OISLs) providing secure 2.5 Gbps transmission for near-real-time tasking and payload data relay.
The enhanced baseline MP42 platform has expanded from a 150 kg maximum spacecraft mass to 200 kg, delivering a 50 percent increase in usable payload volume and enabling payload integrations of up to 100 kg. Further family-wide improvements include hardened GNSS anti-jamming and anti-spoofing capabilities, elevated radiation tolerance, enhanced pointing accuracy, and a three-fold increase in RF downlink data rates.
Production Milestones, Mission Lifespan, and Customer Contracts
The first five Gen-2 MP42 units have already been built or delivered to commercial operators, including Satlantis, SuperSharp, and an undisclosed Southeast Asian customer, representing over 10 million euros in contracted value. Launches are scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2026 and throughout 2027.
Additional program commitments include:
Production Milestones, Mission Lifespan, and Customer Contracts
The first five Gen-2 MP42 units have already been built or delivered to commercial operators, including Satlantis, SuperSharp, and an undisclosed Southeast Asian customer, representing over 10 million euros in contracted value. Launches are scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2026 and throughout 2027.
Additional program commitments include:
- Norwegian Armed Forces: Three maritime surveillance satellites ordered by KONGSBERG for integration into the N3X constellation.
- SuperSharp BlueMoon: Integration of the deployable Hibiscus thermal infrared (TIR) telescope, targeting commercial thermal imaging at approximately 3-meter GSD.
- Broadband & Advanced Programs: Customized bus integrations for the Meridian Space broadband constellation and orders for Kreios Space alongside NATO and allied defense customers.
Operational lifespan has been extended from five years in a 600 km Sun-Synchronous Orbit (SSO) to seven years in a 750 km SSO, with turnkey delivery timelines reduced to as low as nine months from project kick-off through payload integration and full environmental and functional testing.
Additional Context
This section details technical specifications not included in the original news release.
ESPA-Grande microsatellite integration utilizes standard 24-inch (610 mm) mechanical separation ring interfaces defined by the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle Secondary Payload Adapter specification. These structural interfaces support cantilevered launch loads and static/dynamic accelerations exceeding 10 to 15 Gs during booster ascent. In-orbit attitude determination and control systems (ADCS) for sub-meter Earth observation integrate low-jitter reaction wheels, magnetorquers, and multi-head star trackers with arcsecond-level absolute pointing accuracy and sub-arcsecond stability (jitter) to prevent optical image blurring and line-of-sight smear across continuous time-delay integration (TDI) scan maneuvers.
Optical intersatellite crosslinks operate in the near-infrared band (typically centered around 1550 nm), utilizing space-qualified Erbium-Doped Fiber Amplifiers (EDFA) and fine-steering fast-steering mirrors (FSM) to achieve micro-radian beam pointing and closed-loop spatial tracking across thousands of kilometers in low Earth orbit. Power distribution networks for high-power radar and RF payloads incorporate unregulated or regulated 28-volt to 50-volt primary power buses driven by high-efficiency multi-junction gallium arsenide (GaAs) solar cells and lithium-ion pouch cells regulated through peak-power-tracking battery charge discharge units.
Edited by Romila DSilva, Induportals Editor, with AI assistance.
Additional Context
This section details technical specifications not included in the original news release.
ESPA-Grande microsatellite integration utilizes standard 24-inch (610 mm) mechanical separation ring interfaces defined by the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle Secondary Payload Adapter specification. These structural interfaces support cantilevered launch loads and static/dynamic accelerations exceeding 10 to 15 Gs during booster ascent. In-orbit attitude determination and control systems (ADCS) for sub-meter Earth observation integrate low-jitter reaction wheels, magnetorquers, and multi-head star trackers with arcsecond-level absolute pointing accuracy and sub-arcsecond stability (jitter) to prevent optical image blurring and line-of-sight smear across continuous time-delay integration (TDI) scan maneuvers.
Optical intersatellite crosslinks operate in the near-infrared band (typically centered around 1550 nm), utilizing space-qualified Erbium-Doped Fiber Amplifiers (EDFA) and fine-steering fast-steering mirrors (FSM) to achieve micro-radian beam pointing and closed-loop spatial tracking across thousands of kilometers in low Earth orbit. Power distribution networks for high-power radar and RF payloads incorporate unregulated or regulated 28-volt to 50-volt primary power buses driven by high-efficiency multi-junction gallium arsenide (GaAs) solar cells and lithium-ion pouch cells regulated through peak-power-tracking battery charge discharge units.
Edited by Romila DSilva, Induportals Editor, with AI assistance.
