Photo: Skyrora

Skyrora has won a European Space Agency (ESA) contract alongside Viasat and CGI. The contract is under the Commercial Space Transportation Services program to demonstrate InRange, a space-based launch vehicle telemetry relay system which will benefit launch vehicle providers across the industry globally. The contract was announced Oct. 11.

The collaboration will focus on Skyrora’s suborbital Skylark L launch vehicle, demonstrating InRange connectivity over Viasat’s global Elera L-band satellite communication networks. The initial stage of the project will include Viasat conducting ground testing of the InRange solution with Skyrora’s launch vehicle system. CGI will undertake a market study and analysis of ground stations to determine the commercial potential of the solution within the wider launch service provider market. InRange will enable Skyrora to achieve continuous transmission of telemetry data during flight, from launch to payload deployment.

“Connectivity by satellite communications will improve the safety and services available to launchers and greatly expand the possibilities available for launch. CGI is proud to be involved in this next step with InRange, helping to unblock barriers and reduce the cost of launch globally,” Sophie Pittner, Vice President of Aerospace & Assured Space Systems at CGI in the UK and Australia, said in a statement.

Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries is also working with Viasat to test InRange on its H3 launch vehicle.