The Swedish Space Corporation (SSC) has acquired more than 20 years experience in the area of small satellites and space plasma missions, including studies, analyses, system and subsystem design, engineering, implementation, commissioning and operations.
Starting with Sweden’s first satellite, the magnetospheric explorer Viking, launched in 1986, SSC has procured, developed, or acquired ten spacecraft which have all successfully been launched and operated in-orbit - and the 11th is under development. Six spacecraft have been designed by SSC as main contractor, including the SMART-1 lunar probe platform, developed for ESA and launched in 2003. For Odin, launched in 2001, SSC has the total system responsibility, including development of the main instrument, launch, and operations. Four of the six SSC satellites in the Swedish small satellite programme have been dedicated to magnetospheric research. For all SSC satellites – excluding ESA´s SMART-1 - SSC has been responsible for the operations.
SSC’s experience in the telecom satellite field covers a wide range of services, from feasibility/ system definition, procurement including insurance and risk assessment, international frequency coordination, launch vehicle and campaign consulting to LEOPs, IOTs and operations. SSC also holds 10 % of SES SIRIUS.
The Swedish small satellite heritage is - by necessity – that of a low-cost approach applied to tailor-made systems, in close collaboration with the scientists. The aim is always to minimize the overall cost for a complete mission, without compromising the mission objectives. Some key issues in the low-cost approach to spacecraft development are the simple customer interface, the small dedicated project team, competitive procurement, elimination of unnecessary management levels, use of off-shelf equipment (OTS) and commercial or industrial grade components where possible, and an optimized DDV philosophy.
The low-cost approach has also been applied to the development and organisation of ground control for the SSC satellites. The operational experience has, in addition, given valuable feedback to the SSC spacecraft procurement/development teams and a special understanding within the company of operational issues.
