Roadmap
PHASE 1 - COMMISSIONING
As soon as ION SCV010 Masterful Matthaeus reaches orbit, our spacecraft operations engineers establish a bidirectional communication channel. We then start the launch and early orbit phase (LEOP), neutralizing the rotation imparted by the launch vehicle during separation, correcting the attitude, testing the satellites' subsystems, and preparing for the next phases.
PHASE 2 - COMMERCIAL PHASE, HOSTED PAYLOAD DEMONSTRATION
Once concluded the commissioning phase, ION SCV010 Masterful Matthaeus will start the commercial phase of the mission, which will consist in the deployment of the hosted satellites and the in-orbit demonstration of third-party payloads hosted onboard.
Throughout the mission, ION SCV010 Masterful Matthaeus will deploy a total of five satellites from Kepler, Visiona, AAC Clyde Space (for Wyvern) and one undisclosed customer; the OTV will also perform the in-orbit demonstration of two hosted payloads: a payload for electronic intelligence activities developed by Elt Space’s EW team, and Veoware's first Control Moment Gyroscope to be tested in space.
In order to release the satellites into the precise operational orbital slots required by customers ION SCV010 Masterful Matthaeus will perform a series of complex orbital maneuvers.
PHASE 3 - DECOMMISSIONING
At the end of the mission, the platform joins the fleet of IONs already in orbit and is operated by the company. At the end of its life, the spacecraft is decommissioned in compliance with the Space Debris Mitigation guidelines. The pressure vessels are depleted from leftover fuel and oxidizer, the battery charging system is deactivated, and the batteries are completely discharged. The spacecraft, now inert, enters a decommissioning trajectory that will bring it to burn up upon atmospheric re-entry within a few years.
