Kayhan updates Pathfinder spaceflight safety platform (Image Credit: Space News)
LOGAN, Utah – Spaceflight safety startup Kayhan Space is broadening its product line to address collision threats for launch vehicles and satellites with or without propulsion.
As traffic increases in popular orbits, Kayhan is updating its Pathfinder platform, which provides conjunction assessment and autonomous collision avoidance services. More than a dozen customers have signed up for the subscription-based Pathfinder platform including Capella Space, Lynk Global and Globalstar, Kayhan announced at the Small Satellite Conference here.
“The reception for Pathfinder has been strong and we are hoping to sign up a lot more operators given the new capabilities,” Araz Feyzi, Kayhan Space co-founder and chief technology officer, told SpaceNews.
The latest version of Pathfinder is designed for satellites with various types of thrusters as well as for spacecraft without onboard propulsion.
“If a satellite doesn’t have propulsion but can change its attitude and drag profile, we recommend maneuvers that can significantly reduce the risk of a collision,” Feyzi said. “It’s a difficult problem to solve but it’s a real problem. There are thousands of satellites flying with no ability to make an avoidance maneuver.”
Kayhan also is selling the orbit propagation software that the company developed for internal use.
“Kayhan Eagle propagates orbits both around Earth and in the cislunar environment for thousands of objects 14 days out, within seconds,” Feyzi said.
Gamut, Kayhan’s latest product, helps launch service providers identify safe launch windows.
“If you want to make sure that your spacecraft first stage, second stage and all the payload components are safe from collisions, you can pre-screen your mission for conjunctions,” Feyzi said.
Gamut software could show, for example, when a launching at a specific time could threaten the International Space Station or risk colliding with space debris.
