NanoRacks Successfully Deploys 33 Small Satellites from the International Space Station – The Largest Cubesat Deployment in History
Houston, TX – February 28, 2014 – NanoRacks announced successful deployment of 33 CubeSats from the International Space Station (ISS) was the largest cubesat deployment in history. The first cubesats deployed were part of a constellation of 28 satellites for its customer, Planet Labs.
Demand for cubesats has intensified as customers look to develop space programs using small satellites about the size of a loaf of bread. NanoRacks is responding to demand from government, military, and commercial clients for routine access to space from small satellites. The NanoRacks Cubesat Deployment System appeals to the needs of their clients by providing regularly scheduled launches into space and the ability to deploy a constellation of small satellites that can cover the earth. This new system allows deployment of up to 96 satellites at a time.
“This is the beginning of a new era in space commerce,” said NanoRacks CEO Jeff Manber. “We’re helping our customers get a two year head start in space. They don’t have to wait around for a dedicated launch to space but can instead catch the next rocket to space station. We want to thank NASA and JAXA for being wonderful partners, as well as Spaceflight Inc for their help with customers. Without these organizations, this couldn’t have happened.”
NanoRacks has planned 2-3 additional deployments this year to address a robust pipeline of customers. Working with NASA and JAXA, NanoRack’s is anticipating regularly scheduled deployment of cubesats from the ISS.
The once limited and costly method of launching satellites into space is addressed by NanoRacks’ low cost way of doing business. Commercial clients are realizing the viability of space operations not easily available to them in the past is now feasible. NanoRacks has taken a leadership position in illustrating an acute understanding of the unique needs of its clients, and expects interest to increase.
About NanoRacks:
NanoRacks, LLC – was founded in 2009 in Houston, Texas. They are the market leader in commercialized and scheduled space operations on the International Space Station (ISS) via their own hardware from internal research equipment to cubeSat depolyer’s to the External Platform outside the Space Station. To date, over 150 payloads have been delivered to space under the direction of NanoRacks.