Technology Demonstration Missions

Operational space missions, whether scientific, military or commercial demand reliable, high-performance solutions. The basic technologies required for true state-of-the-art performance are seldom designed for the harsh space environment. However, a technology demonstration mission based on the appropriate SSTL platform can validate key technologies in the orbital environment rapidly and affordably.


In October 2010 SSTL was awarded a grant to commence the design phase of a UK national technology demonstration satellite, TechDemoSat-1. The UK’s Technology Strategy Board and the South East England Development Agency together provided a grant to fund the core mission design elements, with SSTL, UK industry and UK academia funding the novel payload technologies.







Past SSTL technology demonstration tasks have ranged from early tests on solid-state devices, through to missions such as S80/T, Clementine and CERISE and more recently, CFESat, which validated payloads and initiated services.


SSTL’s GIOVE-A mission was the technology demonstrator for ESA’s satellite-supported navigation system Test Bed, which has validated an entire navigation payload and signal structure. SSTL nanosatellites, microsatellites and minisatellites have hosted customer technology payloads including solar cells, communications transmitters, an internet router and a GPS receiver, as well as numerous SSTL R&D payloads.

With a rapid order-to-orbit time, SSTL provides customers with a technology demonstration mission that will rapidly reduce costs and risks for an operational programme.