During the quarter, the team at Third Planet Orbital has spent significant time in the cleanroom, focused on Assembly, Integration, and Test (AIT) of the Exotopic "Give Me Some Space!" mission. The Satellite AIT is critical phase involving meticulous checking of subsystems, mating components, preparing the satellite, and going through a rigorous suite of tests. Paying close attention to every detail at ensures the hardware will be ready to perform optimally in orbit.

• Give Me Some Space!

Ensuring early access to hardware is a key enabler for effective software development. For the Exotopic "Give Me Some Space!" mission Third Planet Orbital has provided a batch of representative Payload Handling Units (PHUs), to facilitate Hardware-In-The-Loop software development for passenger payloads. Early access to hardware has streamlined the process, reducing the time taken to produce robust, reliable, and high-performing software. The availability of PHUs has been instrumental in enhancing both the quality and efficiency of the work.

• Give Me Some Space!

The Third Planet Orbital Deployer (TPOD) has been selected for use on the Exotopic "Give Me Some Space!" mission scheduled for launch in 2026. The TPOD is designed to provide accommodation for higher capability CubeSats, maximising volume utilisation versus overall mass. The design and supply chain achieves faster delivery, and ongoing engineering activities will allow Third Planet Orbital to operate a 6U/12U/16U exchange programme to give customers responsive schedule flexibility.

• Give Me Some Space!
• TPOD

Engineering activities are well underway for the production of the new Third Planet Orbital Deployer (TPOD), focused on steamlining mass, manufacturing, and processes compared to current equivalents. Hardware is being prepared for Space-Comm Expo in March 2025.

• TPOD

Third Planet Orbital is supporting the Exotopic "Give Me Some Space!" mission. A mission dedicated to helping up and coming businesses and technologies to reach 'TRL9'. It is a difficult step and Exotopic are taking the lead, promoting and providing a cost effective route through to being flown and tested.

• Give Me Some Space!

To reach a position of almost anonymity in the end user's eyes needs a vast amount of knowledgeable joined up thinking, action and 'paddling under the surface' to occur. Third Planet Orbital have been busy in March connecting and collaborating in multiple arenas to build the cohesion:

Exhibiting | Forming Business Relationships | Meeting Investors | University engagement | Trade body interaction.

Third Planet Orbital were selected to take part in the UK Space Agency Fusion Connect programme which kicked off with an exciting bootcamp in London aimed at the pre-seed/seed part of the investment spectrum. Third Planet Orbital also attended the Space Investment Forum at Dynamic Earth in Edinburgh concerned with bigger and later investment rounds.

Events like these are forming a staple part of the UK eco-system, and whether or not investment is needed or forthcoming, the connections and face-to face interactions are invaluable and always have a social element making them all the more enjoyable.

December saw Third Planet Orbital get into its own office space at the Advanced Technology Innovation Centre. The community spirit is fabulous, it is just along the road from our friends at Space Park Leicester, and has immediate access to the arterial M1 in the Midlands.

The team are looking forward to 2024, doing the work they love and being part of endeavours in the space industry, especially starting preparations for our booth at Space-Comm Expo in a couple of month's time.

November was full of travel for the Third Planet Orbital team, Lake Como to see Leaf Space at the start of the month and Belfast for the UK Space Conference towards the end. Time was spent with supply-chain, customers, and a whole host of potential partners. It was a reminder of how active the European and UK space industry is, and how broad the subject really is.

Cyber security is becoming a bigger issue overall from local levels to onboard satellites. Leicestershire police presented information which highlighted how much support is already available to keep entities protected. Third Planet Orbital has had some great insight into the work at De Montfort University on the subject in its more specific applications.

The company got the opportunity to talk to the 'Midlands Space Cluster Industrial Advisory Group' about how small businesses can be best helped right at the start, and how the Space community itself is a vital part of success.

Third Planet Orbital is preparing for an Investment round to accelerate the bigger plans. The East Midlands Chamber and Innovate UK Edge have been providing guidance preparing the Pitch Deck.

The team have had a local month of different locations; Space Park Leicester for Cosmic Coffee and a quick meeting in the Blue Marble Cafe, the Dock for Macmillan Cancer Support charity coffee morning; Blaby Business Breakfast with other nearby businesses, and a visit to the National Space Centre for their Space Lates evening.

As the UK school summer holidays draw to a close, Third Planet Orbital supported the National Space Centre in Leicester City Centre with a 'drop-in' outreach session. Engaging young and old with a show and tell table full of space hardware and a pico-satellite that can be held in the hand!

Welcoming Daniel Martin as the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) for Third Planet Orbital. Daniel comes with over 12 years working in the Space Industry, with a background in Electronic Engineering, Embedded Software Development, Spacecraft System design, Astrophysics, and most recently DevOps. The broad skills and keen engagement in the CubeSat industry is a welcome addition to the team.

• More about the team

Third Planet Orbital moved into the Dock, next door to UK National Space Centre and Space Park Leicester. The inclusion of a Freeport Zone will assist the area to become one of the most connected Science and Innovation Enterprise Zones for space-related activities in the United Kingdom.

• Visit Us

Limited Company established in England 12th May 2023 for the express purpose of carrying out the business of supplying robust and reliable building blocks to space technology users.

• Company Values