Toulouse, France 8 June 2023 – Expleo today announces it is developing ExpleoLissa a new intelligent and adaptable software-defined nanosatellite payload capable of in-orbit reconfiguration, allowing it to change mission and application post-launch.
ExpleoLissa (Launchpad for Innovative Software-defined Satellite Applications) is designed to be compatible with a ‘3U CubeSat’ measuring 100mm x 100mm x 300mm, small enough to comfortably hold in a person’s hands. Using off-the-shelf components optimised by Expleo engineers, it balances low power consumption with powerful onboard processing capabilities to perform data-intensive monitoring functions that can be reconfigured in orbit, at any time, via an over-the-air update.
For instance, a nanosatellite launched with the application of monitoring wind farms can have its application changed whilst in the air to instead be used for wildlife tracking or search and rescue missions in remote areas ExpleoLissa has been designed to manage a wide range of environmental, safety or humanitarian applications. The solution developed by Expleo’s engineers and technicians increases the life cycle of a nanosatellite by reducing its programmed obsolescence.
A working engineering model of Expleo LISSA is scheduled to be complete by the end of the year with the first demo launch expected in 2024.
The NewSpace revolution is, at its heart, about putting the power of space exploration and monitoring in the hands of more people. With ExpleoLissa, we are proving that nanosatellites are capable of the onboard processing needed for complex applications – making constellations of such devices a viable option for a much wider audience of users. The lessons we will learn from our first launch of ExpleoLissa will help inform new use cases across industries as varied as energy & utilities, automotive and aerospace. We’re excited to work with our partners and customers to explore the limits of what is possible with this technology.
The ExpleoLissa nanosatellite builds on the expertise and capabilities developed by Expleo engineers from the development of ENSO (Expleo Nanosatellite for Solar-irradiance Observation), which is expected to launch in 2023.
