Smallsat-based Reconnaissance
Space-based reconnaissance has been a key application since the beginning of space activities. Traditionally, complex satellites have been used to generate large amounts of high-resolution data. In the meantime, small satellites are also providing useful reconnaissance data as a consequence of the commercialisation of the space industry and the miniaturisation of
components. The generally lower complexity of small satellites and the associated lower investment costs per satellite generate the possibility of reconnaissance using constellations. Due to their large number of satellites, constellations have shorter revisit times, which has the advantage that reconnaissance can be carried out with significantly shorter latencies and is therefore much more responsive. Further, an added value of reconnaissance using small satellites in the context of Responsive Space lies in the typically faster availability and provision of such systems, which can increase the resilience of a reconnaissance constellation of many small satellites.
In this context, the RSC³ is researching small satellite platforms and their ability to operate reconnaissance payloads. The findings can be used to better assess which space-based capabilities can also be provided by small satellites in the future and for which applications more complex satellite systems may be required.