Phantom
Deployable Space Systems (DSS) — now Redwire
Phantom is an ESPA-class satellite platform designed for VLEO missions, offering a budget-friendly and aerodynamic design for various intelligence, Earth science, and communications applications.
Key figurescomparable across the catalogue
- Payload capacity
- 50 kg
- Power
- 25 W
- Largest dimension
- 1,800 mm
- Design life
- 5 years
Normalised to common units so this product can be compared with others in its category. The supplier's own wording is below.
As published by the supplier
- SIZE (STOWED)
- 1.8 m x 1.3 m x 1.3 m
- PAYLOAD SIZE
- 40 cm x 40 cm x 60 cm (launcher-dependent)
- PAYLOAD MASS
- 50 kg
- TOTAL SPACECRAFT WEIGHT
- Below 300 kg
- POWER AVAILABLE
- >25 W OAP (EOL)
- PROPULSION
- Electric
- ORBITAL ALTITUDE
- Below 300 km
- MISSION LIFETIME
- Up to 5 years
- MISSION APPLICATIONS
- Earth Science, ISR, SDA, RF signal monitoring, Communications
About
Phantom is a highly adaptable, ESPA-class satellite platform built in Belgium, designed to enable a wide variety of intelligence, Earth science, and communications missions in Very Low Earth Orbit (VLEO). It is engineered to operate for up to five years on orbit, promoting sustainable and cost-effective missions. Key features include a budget-friendly design, an aerodynamic shape that uses less propellant, compatibility with small satellite launchers, and the use of standardized off-the-shelf elements to reduce manufacturing costs. The platform does not require fuel to deorbit and is optimized for high-resolution Earth observation. It is being studied for use in the European Space Agency’s Skimsat program, which aims to reduce the cost of Earth observation and increase performance by operating at substantially lower altitudes, challenging traditional high-altitude operations and creating a new business model for high-resolution imaging with short lifetime and lead time.
Documentation
No public datasheet yet — request the datasheet / ICD from the supplier.