Impulse Space flies Mira spacecraft within 200m in orbit

(SpaceEnergy) In-space transportation company Impulse Space has demonstrated precision chemical propulsion by manoeuvring two Mira spacecraft to within about 200m during a series of close-proximity orbital flybys.

The company said its LEO Express 2 Mira began the operation with a major burn in February to move its orbital plane closer to the LEO Express 3 spacecraft. Smaller burns continued through the spring and early summer before a series of close approaches in July reduced separation from about 820m to around 200m.

Mira uses eight Impulse-developed Saiph chemical thrusters and can provide up to 850m/s of delta-v carrying a 100kg payload. The thrusters use nitrous oxide and ethane propellants.

Impulse said the flight campaign exercised its guidance, navigation and control, propulsion and mission-operations capabilities, including rapid orbit determination and finely controlled propulsion. It was Mira's second close-proximity manoeuvre series, following the earlier Remora autonomous rendezvous and proximity-operations demonstration with Starfish Space.

“Twice now, we’ve demonstrated that Mira has the agility and propulsion to support a new class of dynamic operations on orbit,” Impulse vice-president of spacecraft programmes Drew Damon said.

Starfish Space and HEO supported imagery collection during the flybys.