General Atomics GAzelle Satellite with Argos-4 Payload Ships to Rocket Lab New Zealand Launch Site

General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems (GA-EMS) announced today that its GAzelle satellite hosting the Argos-4 and RadMon payloads successfully completed the final review process for shipment to Rocket Lab’s Complex 1 launch facility on the Mahia Peninsula in New Zealand. The satellite launch date is anticipated for no later than October 10, 2022.

“The Pre-Ship Review, or PSR, is the final review before we pack up and ship the spacecraft. The PSR provides our payload customers verification that all requirements are met, all testing to date is complete, and all ground operations are set to go,” said Scott Forney, president of GA-EMS.  “This is a very exciting time, as the team gets ready to travel to New Zealand to complete final preparations for satellite launch onboard a dedicated Rocket Lab Electron vehicle.”    

GA-EMS is launching the satellite as a Hosted Payload Solutions (HoPS) mission delivery order for the Argos Advanced Data Collection System (A-DCS) awarded to GA-EMS by the United States Space Force, Space Systems Command, on behalf of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The Argos-4 instrument onboard the GA-EMS satellite was provided by France’s National Centre for Space Studies (CNES).

GA-EMS designed and manufactured the GAzelle satellite at their Centennial, CO facilities and conducted all integration and testing for the Argos-4 instrument and the RadMon space radiation monitoring payloads. GA-EMS owns the satellite and is managing mission operations and control of the satellite throughout its five-year mission lifecycle.

“Our complete ground-to-orbit solutions and flexible, optimized platforms provide a more efficient way for customers to deliver critical technologies to space,” said Gregg Burgess, vice president of GA-EMS Space Systems. “We are extremely proud of our team and our partners as we get closer to delivering the Argos-4 instrument on orbit to begin collecting and distributing real-time data for the research, study, and protection of our planet’s environment.”

The Argos-4 payload will collect, process, and disseminate environmental data from fixed and mobile sensors worldwide. This new satellite will become part of the Argos constellation supported by the NOAA Cooperative Data and Rescue Services Program.  Argos is an international program that collects data from thousands of fixed and mobile sensors and transmitters located around the world. Data is collected and distributed for use in numerous applications, including ocean buoy tracking, wildlife and fishery monitoring, and maritime security, as well as non-environmental uses.