SpaceBEE picosatellites are built on a 0.25U CubeSat platform and are part of a satellite constellation developed by the private company Swarm Technologies. This constellation of about 150 picosatellites provide two-way satellite communications and data relay. After the first experimental SpaceBEE satellites were put into space in 2018, the first group of operational satellites were put into orbit by a European Vega rocket in 2020. This was followed by several more launches carried out by private space companies such as Rocket Lab, SpaceX and Astra. These small satellites measure 110 x 110 x 28mm and have a mass of 0.25 kilograms. Swarm's website says that thanks to this constellation the company provides the world's lowest cost, global connectivity for Internet Of Things (IoT) devices using a Store and forward design.
Satellite info
| Nation: | USA |
| Company/operator: | Swarm Technologies |
| Platform/configuration: | 0.25U CubeSat |
| Mass: | 0.25 kg |
| Orbit: | 500 km - 550 km Low Earth Orbit (LEO) |
| Purpose: | Communications |
| Launch vehicles: | Vega, Electron, Falcon 9, PSLV, Astra 3 |
| Website: | https://swarm.space |
SpaceBEE satellites launch overview
| Flight no. | Date launch | Rocket | Launch base | Orbit | Satellites deployed | Mission succes? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 12/01/2018 | PSLV | Satish Dhawan Space Centre(India) | 520 km | 4 | Success |
| 2 | 03/12/2018 | Falcon 9 | Vandenberg Space Force Base(USA) | 580 km | 3 | Success |
| 3 | 29/06/2019 | Electron | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1(New Zealand) | 460 km | 2 | Success |
| 4 | 03/09/2020 | Vega | Guiana Space Centre(French Guiana) | 535 km | 12 | Success |
| 5 | 20/11/2020 | Electron | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1(New Zealand) | 520 km | 24 | Success |
| 6 | 24/01/2021 | Falcon 9 | Cape Canaveral(USA) | 520 km | 36 | Success |
| 7 | 28/02/2021 | PSLV | Satish Dhawan Space Centre(India) | 520 km | 12 | Success |
| 8 | 30/06/2021 | Falcon 9 | Cape Canaveral(USA) | 523 km | 28 | Success |
| 9 | 15/03/2022 | Astra 3.3 | Pacific Spaceport Complex(USA) | 525 km | 20 | Success |
| 10 | 01/04/2022 | Falcon 9 | Cape Canaveral(USA) | 500 km | 12 | Success |
| 11 | 02/05/2022 | Electron | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1(New Zealand) | 520 km | 24 | Success |
Images: Swarm Technologies
