Astro Digital announces its latest mission and successful dedicated launch of a 16U CubeSat bus with advanced payloads

SANTA CLARA, Calif., Oct. 17, 2019 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Astro Digital, a leading provider of holistic solutions to develop, deploy and operate space infrastructure, today announced the successful dedicated launch of its latest mission with Rocket Lab from their New Zealand launch facilities.

"As a smallsat operator that prides itself on the ability to rapidly develop and deploy innovative satellite constellations and technology proof of concepts, having an organization like Rocket Lab to partner for the launch phase of the mission is critical," stated Chris Biddy, Astro Digital's CEO."This launch is an excellent case in point; we were able to complete and launch the satellite within six months," continued Biddy. "The launch went flawlessly, and we couldn't be more excited about the mission's progress," said Biddy.

"The mission is a perfect example of the tailored, responsive, and precise launch service sought by an increasing number of small satellite operators," stated Lars Hoffman, Rocket Lab's Senior Vice President of Global Launch Services. "We are honored Astro Digital has selected Rocket Lab as the launch provider for their dedicated mission. The Electron launch vehicle, with its unique Kick Stage, is perfectly positioned to provide the tailored, rapid, and responsive access to space that rideshare models can't deliver," said Hoffman.

"With this launch, our technology demonstration is focused on next-generation communications and propulsion capabilities combined with our flight-proven and application-agnostic 16U micro-satellite bus," stated Patrick Shannon, Astro Digital's Vice President, and Palisade Program Manager. "In essence, we're looking at one of the most capable micro-satellites ever launched," continued Shannon.

About Rocket Lab
Rocket Lab is the world's leading dedicated small satellite launch provider. Founded in 2006, Rocket Lab provides end-to-end mission services, including complete satellite build and launch solutions, that provide rapid, frequent, and reliable access to space. Since its first orbital launch in January 2018, Rocket Lab has delivered 35 satellites to orbit on the Electron launch vehicle, enabling operations in space debris mitigation,

Earth observation, ship, and airplane tracking, and radio communications. Headquartered in Huntington Beach, California, Rocket Lab designs and manufactures the Electron launch vehicle, a full carbon-composite launch vehicle tailored for small satellites. Rocket Lab operates launch sites in Māhia, New Zealand, and Wallops Island, Virginia. To learn more, visit http://www.rocketlabusa.com.

About Astro Digital
As a holistic offering, Astro Digital currently designs, builds, and operates micro-satellite systems supporting space-based turn-key missions for business applications, including earth observation, communications, In-orbit demonstrations, in addition to various science and exploration applications. Astro Digital is headquartered in Santa Clara, California. To learn more, visit http://www.astrodigital.com.

SOURCE Astro Digital