Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL) has signed a contract with Honeywell to supply the VESTA satellite platform, a technology demonstration mission that will test a new two-way VHF Data Exchange System (VDES) payload for the exactEarth advanced maritime satellite constellation.

VESTA is being manufactured in SSTL’s new NanoLab at the Company’s Guildford facility under a rapid-build schedule to meet a 2017 launch date.  The VESTA platform will have 3-axis pointing capability, an SEU tolerant on-board computer, VxWorks operating system and an S-Band transmitter and receiver. The design is compatible with a range of launch deployment systems for injection into orbit by Soyuz, Antares, Dnepr, Falcon-9, Atlas, Delta and Vega rockets.

VESTA is a flagship project of the National Space Technology Programme, funded by the UK Space Agency  and managed by the Centre for EO Instrumentation and Space Technology (CEOI-ST).