Rogue Space Systems Corporation has recently announced payload hosting opportunities for its Sun-Synchronous Orbit (SSO) mission, the Orbital Test Platform (OTP-3), set for mid-2026. This mission features an ESPA-class satellite with a notable capacity for hosting a variety of commercial and research payloads, offering an extra mass budget of 40kg, orbit average power exceeding 80 watts, and a peak power of 1.2 kilowatts. Such specifications position the OTP-3 as a versatile platform for space-based experiments and technology demonstrations.
Brent Abbott, Chief Revenue Officer at Rogue Space Systems, emphasized the potential for launching an additional spacecraft dedicated to Rendezvous-Proximity Operations and Docking (RPOD), which could further enhance payload hosting capabilities and enable dual satellite mission testing. This initiative is part of Rogue's broader demonstration and test program, with flights planned every nine months through 2027. The company provides comprehensive services, including assembly, integration, and testing (AIT), alongside mission operations support for all hosted payloads, with costs tailored to factors like size, mass, and power requirements.
The OTP-3 spacecraft, weighing under 200kg, is equipped with advanced features such as precision Attitude and Orbit Control System (AOCS), RPOD capabilities, and a Scalable Compute Platform (SCP) designed for parallel edge computing. This SCP can process complex algorithms in artificial intelligence, image processing, and autonomy, offering customers the chance to host their algorithms with access to all sensor data. The mission also includes onboard storage, X-band downlinking several times daily, a multispectral remote sensing instrument, and RPOD situational-awareness cameras and sensors.
Rogue Space Systems is focused on building logistics infrastructure and services for the emerging space economy, with initiatives like in-space manufacturing, recycling, and research and development. Their offerings extend to Waypoint™ stations for multi-tenant space-based capabilities, Orbots™ as a robotic workforce, and Orblock™ payload containers for efficient material transfer. This payload hosting opportunity on the OTP-3 mission is a significant milestone in enhancing space accessibility, enabling the testing and deployment of new technologies that could drive innovation in Earth observation, communications, and space-based manufacturing.
