Connect the Dots: Designing for Reality—Surface Finish
Fresh PCB Concepts: Tariffs and the Importance of a Diverse Supply Chain
Elementary Mr. Watson: The Road Ahead—Advances in PCB Design Technology
Redwire Enabling ESA’s First Planetary Defense Mission with Cutting-Edge Onboard Computer System
October 2, 2024 | BUSINESS WIREEstimated reading time: 1 minute
Redwire Corporation, a leader in space infrastructure for the next generation space economy, announced today that it is providing a critical onboard computer system for the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Hera mission, Europe’s inaugural flagship planetary defense mission. Hera is the European-led companion mission to NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART), which successfully impacted the binary asteroid system Didymos in September 2022 with Redwire power and navigation technology onboard. The Hera mission will provide a detailed survey of DART’s impact site.
Hera’s onboard computer was developed by Redwire’s wholly owned Belgian subsidiary, Redwire Space NV, through a contract with OHB Germany, the main industrial contractor for the mission. The onboard computer, Redwire’s third generation Advanced Data and Power Management System (ADPMS-3), is designed to monitor and control other spacecraft components, including transmitting critical data to operators on the ground. Developed to meet the challenges of operating in deep space, ADPMS-3 will control all vital spacecraft operations, including power and navigation, and play a crucial role in major mission milestones such as the deployment and monitoring of ESA’s two deep-space CubeSats and the spacecraft’s final orbital insertion at Didymos.
“Redwire’s third generation onboard computer, leveraging more than 25 years of flight heritage and avionics expertise, has become critical, enabling technology for today’s most ambitious missions,” said Erik Masure, President of Redwire Space Europe. “We are proud to partner with ESA for the game-changing Hera mission to advance humanity’s planetary defense capabilities and the scientific understanding of asteroids.”
The Hera mission is an exciting mission contributing to Redwire’s growing portfolio of space solutions that advance scientific discovery and planetary defense efforts. Redwire provided digital sun sensors and Roll-Out Solar Array technology for NASA’s DART mission. Redwire is also providing the onboard computer for ESA’s Comet Interceptor mission, the first spacecraft to visit a long-period comet. Redwire’s ADPMS leverages 25 years of spaceflight heritage, previously supporting ESA’s Proba-2, Proba-V, and Intermediate eXperimental Vehicle missions.
Share on:
Suggested Items
onsemi Achieves Validation of Near-Term Science-Based Emissions Reduction Targets
02/05/2025 | onsemiThe Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) has approved onsemi’s near-term science-based emissions reduction targets. The validation of these targets attests that the planned decrease of onsemi’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions is aligned to the ambition of limiting global temperature rise to 1.5° Celsius.
Optical Transceiver Shipments Projected to Grow by 56.5% in 2025
02/05/2025 | TrendForceWhile DeepSeek has successfully reduced AI training costs, the broader cost reduction of AI models is expected to expand application scenarios and drive an increase in global data center deployments.
ESIA Urges the EU to Move to Action
02/03/2025 | ESIAThe European Commission unveiled its anticipated ‘Competitiveness Compass for the EU’. The European Semiconductor Industry Association (ESIA), representing the semiconductor industry and broader ecosystem in Europe, welcomes this initiative that “lists priority actions to reignite economic dynamism” in the EU.
Sierra Space’s Dream Chaser Spaceplane Successfully Passes NASA Testing Milestone in Preparation for Launch
01/31/2025 | BUSINESS WIRESierra Space, a leading commercial space company and defense tech prime that is Building a Platform in Space to Benefit Life on Earth®, announced today it has successfully completed and passed its Joint Test 10B milestone in collaboration with NASA on the Dream Chaser® spaceplane.
Keysight Signs Virtual Power Purchase Agreement for Renewable Energy Development
01/24/2025 | BUSINESS WIREKeysight Technologies, Inc., signed a virtual power purchase agreement (VPPA) with Southern Power, a leading U.S. wholesale energy provider and subsidiary of Southern Company, to acquire renewable energy credits produced by a 39 MW portion of the Phase III expansion at the Millers Branch Solar Facility.