HorizonSpace

Spacecraft program

OrcaSat.

Four missions in the committed program. Two more behind gates.

Why six missions

Demo-1 is sensors. Demo-2 is radio and camera. OrcaSat-1 is a 1U in LEO. OrcaSat-2 is S-band. OrcaSat-3 and -4 wait until those actually fly.

Committed program

DEMO-1

Demo-1

Sensor qualification flight

Ready to build
Mass
~137 g payload
Budget
$331–$456
DEMO-2

Demo-2

Comms + imaging on high-power

Planned
Mass
~400 g
Budget
$925–$2,260
OS-1

OrcaSat-1

1U technology demonstration

Design stage
Mass
≤ 1,330 g
Budget
$8k–$26k+
OS-2

OrcaSat-2

S-band high-bandwidth comms

Concept v0.1
Mass
~3–4 kg
Budget
$30k–$92k

Proposed extensions · behind gates Z / AA

OS-3

OrcaSat-3

Mars-relay technology demonstrator

Gated — research only
Mass
~8 kg
Budget
$150k–$280k
OS-4

OrcaSat-4

Mars solar-sail relay

Speculative
Mass
~12 kg
Budget
$200k+

Decision gates

Specific points where we decide to continue, change, or stop. OrcaSat-3 and -4 stay research until their gate opens.

  1. Gate 1–4

    Demo through OS-1

    Did the preceding mission fly, recover, and return usable data?

  2. Gate 5

    Before OrcaSat-2

    Has OrcaSat-1 been on orbit ≥3 months with at least one usable image?

  3. Gate Z

    Before OrcaSat-3

    Has OrcaSat-2 flown successfully and produced a working high-bandwidth ground segment?

  4. Gate AA

    Before OrcaSat-4

    Has OrcaSat-3 characterized the HGA in orbit, and does a Mars rideshare actually exist?