Third Planet Orbital (TPO) develops reliable building blocks for space technology users deliberately focusing on the robustness and trustworthiness of its products. Diverging from convention whereby satellites are always customised, TPO standardises to provide off-the-shelf Ready-To-Go solutions. Commercially supplying standardised satellite buses that are understood, tested and verified, to reduce lead times and user mission risk. TPO concerns itself with repeatability (Satellite Buses) specification and repeatability, allowing the users to focus on payload design and application. Additionally, providing users access to hardware (FlatSat Rental) and knowledge (Space Engineering Services) throughout their design process enables lower overall build costs combined with increased operational confidence.

The product spectrum allows users to initially engage with TPO at three distinct points in the specify-design-procure process. Each product phase allows the user's immediate need to be satisfied and provides a natural lead into the next phase.

Satellite Bus

Standardised manufacturing processes and sub-systems allow flight proven and test proven architecture to be consistent from bus to bus, so even users of a single bus gain economies of scale. Third Planet Orbital's 'Off-The-Shelf' satellite buses come with all hardware assembled, software installed, and configured ready for user payload integration to be carried out confidently.

Initial availability is for Third Planet Orbital's baseline 12U satellite bus. The standardised bus allows up and down scaling to satisfy customer needs at 16U, 24U and 6U sizes. Third Planet Orbital welcomes engagement from users in the early development stages of their missions and projects, expecting to integrate payloads in the 12-18 month window from now.

FlatSat Rental

"Try-Before-You-Buy"

FlatSat Rental

Design and development time is a crucial part of the process of putting missions into orbit. A key contributor to this is designing the payload into the satellite bus (consideration of power, software, communications, and physical integration). Third Planet Orbital (TPO) offers access to a FlatSat (principal components and software but without non-functional parts such as the structure) version of its products, such that payload users may perform design iterations in advance of making any commitment to purchase hardware. The FlatSat is made available in a state where software integration and core subsystem interfaces are established resulting in a single standardised managed interface.

Users benefit from being able to test using actual equipment (Hardware-In-the-Loop) rather than relying on data sheets alone (which invariably infers additional changes and delays post equipment purchase). A secure internet tunnel to the FlatSat is made available to enable the user to "Try-Before-You-Buy". The financial burden of acquiring hardware that goes on to be 'de-selected' is removed and cost efficiencies are promoted by only renting hardware for the duration required rather than making an outright purchase.

Third Planet Orbital (TPO) retains a selection of some of the more commonly utilised sub-systems and can connect these in accordance with a customer specific configuration. A secure internet tunnel is connected to the bespoke arrangement, which is offered with an accompanying pack of user manuals and interface documentation.

Space Engineering Services

Third Planet Orbital (TPO) is able to provide a service assisting payload users to define their Technical Requirements Specification (TRS). The service applies the space industry knowledge/experience that TPO has gained, working closely with the user to analyse and define their technical needs and mission end goals. Typically a TRS is created that facilitates sourcing of hardware and services confidently and efficiently giving the payload user the highest chance of success with minimised risk.

TPOs hardware and software knowledge base and experience positions it to be able to continue providing support to any desired level throughout the remainder of a user's design and procurement journey to mission success. For capable users that will procure and build their own platforms TPO can assist, promoting collaborative relationships based upon its own links to the benefit of all the stakeholders involved (from hardware providers through to end use).