Jerry Petersen
Arcfield subsidiary Orion Space Solutions on Monday launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base the Rapid Revisit Optical Cloud Imager satellite, which it had developed in support of the U.S. Space Force Space Systems Command’s electro-optical/infrared weather systems program.
The launch marks the beginning of a year-long on-orbit technical demonstration of the 8-channel 12U CubeSat’s ability to provide the SSC with infrared data and high-resolution Earth observations using an onboard sensor that is powered by commercial-off-the-shelf technology, Orion said Thursday.
The provision of that data is expected to enable the SSC to forecast weather in an accurate and timely manner.
Lt. Col. Joe Maguadog, the EWS materiel leader and program manager at the SSC, said that a successful demo would result in “an innovative option” for the U.S. military when it comes to accessing space-based environmental monitoring data and help with the planning and execution of joint military operations.
For his part, Orion General Manager and President Chad Fish expressed confidence in the ability of RROCI to contribute to the task of providing the military with reliable weather data, while Kevin Kelly, the chairman and CEO of Arcfield, described the launch as “a significant milestone” in his company’s efforts to expand its space-based solutions portfolio.
