Engineering a New Approach to Satellite Constellation Design

Satellite propulsion systems have traditionally been designed for high reliability over large-scale production. Engineered for specific, high-stakes missions, these systems are produced in limited quantities — often only a few dozen units or less. Today, the advent of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite constellations is changing this dynamic, ushering in new commercial and military opportunities that involve deploying hundreds or thousands of satellites designed for research, telecommunications, and Earth observation applications.