AeroAstro Awarded SBIR Contract for Development
of an Innovative Aerobrake Deorbiting System

Distribution Statement "A" (Approved for Public Release, Distribution Unlimited)

Ashburn, VA – May 13, 2004

AeroAstro, Inc., a leading provider of small satellites and related technology products, today announced the award of a contract for the development of an Aerobrake Deorbiting System (ADS). This effort, funded through the DARPA Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program, leverages several ongoing technology development initiatives at AeroAstro. The objective of this program, which is based upon technologies pioneered by AeroAstro to enhance the mobility of small spacecraft, is a self-contained aerobrake that will retire a space asset at the end of its useful lifetime.

There was a time when the calculated probability that a Low Earth Orbiting (LEO) spacecraft would be struck by space debris was relatively small. Today that is not the case. With the quantity of debris presently in orbit, a spacecraft remaining in LEO for any appreciable length of time will likely be struck by space debris. At best, the impact will simply puncture a non-essential piece of structure or perhaps degrade a solar array slightly; at worst, it will cause a catastrophic failure of the spacecraft and generate additional debris. AeroAstro’s solution, the ADS, allows the retirement of existing space assets or could be built into the vehicle before launch to retire it at the end of its mission. This capability will be a key element within an emerging, comprehensive approach to orbital debris mitigation.

Dr. Rick Fleeter, AeroAstro’s CEO, said, “With the number of military and commercial satellites currently planned for LEO, a debris mitigation solution is not going to be just a ‘nice to have’ but rather a ‘must have.’ AeroAstro’s ADS represents a significant step toward reducing the amount of space debris in LEO.”

The need for deorbiting space assets is largely unaddressed, creating a potentially significant market for this capability. Since the ADS technology is appropriate for all satellites, it mitigates both present and future debris concerns. In addition, the ADS could be incorporated into each rocket that is launched in order to deorbit the spent upper stages, thus eliminating another large source of orbital debris. Under the Phase I SBIR effort, sponsored by DARPA, AeroAstro will complete the conceptual design of a complete Aerobrake Deorbiting System, including the aerobrake and other requisite systems.

AeroAstro, Inc. is a leader in innovative micro and nanospacecraft applications – including science, remote sensing, and communications – that open the space frontier to a larger and more varied customer base. AeroAstro manufactures low-cost satellite systems and components, used in its own spacecraft and for spacecraft development in the US and abroad. NASA, the US Air Force, commercial and academic customers have all relied on AeroAstro spacecraft and components over our 15-year history.