AnySignal to equip three Reflect Orbital sunlight missions

(SpaceEnergy) AnySignal has announced an agreement to supply spacecraft radios and ground-network software for three Reflect Orbital satellite missions intended to redirect sunlight to locations on Earth.

The Los Angeles-based communications technology company said the agreement covers Reflect Orbital's inaugural satellite and two subsequent missions.

AnySignal will provide its USX multi-band software-defined transceivers, combining high-rate payload data transmission with telemetry, tracking and command functions in a single hardware module.

The integrated design is intended to reduce spacecraft mass, cabling and the need for separate radios operating across different frequency bands.

The agreement also includes AnySignal's AnyLink software, which connects satellite operators to multiple third-party ground-station networks through a common interface.

Reflect Orbital is developing satellites designed to redirect sunlight towards selected terrestrial locations, potentially extending electricity generation at solar farms beyond normal daylight hours.

The communications systems will support spacecraft operations but are not themselves responsible for collecting, reflecting or transmitting solar energy.

Reflect Orbital chief executive Ben Nowack said the integrated communications arrangement would reduce operational risks and allow engineers to concentrate on the spacecraft's novel technologies.

Neither company disclosed the agreement's financial value, execution date or hardware delivery schedule.