D-Orbit OTV Reaches Record Altitude
SCV Eminent Emmanuel Reaches 752-Mile Orbit
The orbit-raising maneuvers on ION SCV Eminent Emmanuel have been completed by D-Orbit. The vehicle has reached a record altitude of nearly 1,210 km (≈752-miles) the highest ever achieved by the company's orbital transfer vehicle (OTV) to date.
SCV Eminent Emmanuel is now on a highly elliptical orbit of approximately 1,210 × 300 km, a unique orbital configuration that would not have been achievable without a dedicated launch: this unique orbit was reached in a few weeks, starting from a standard SSO rideshare deployment orbit. The orbit with a perigee at 300 km (≈186 miles) was specifically selected to ensure ION will re-enter the atmosphere within 5 years, in full compliance with international best practices for space sustainability.
This maneuver was essential for the in-orbit demonstration of HardPix, a radiation monitor developed by the Czech Technical University in Prague, conducted as part of the SWIMMR program (Space Weather Innovation, Measurement, Modelling and Risk), a £20 million (≈$26 million) initiative funded by UK Research and Innovation’s Strategic Priorities Fund to enhance the UK’s capabilities in space weather monitoring and radiation risk assessment.
HardPix will collect radiation data from altitudes between 330 km and 1,200 km (≈205-745 miles) and provide it to the Met Office Space Weather Operations Center, supporting improved space weather forecasting.
The SWIMMR Core mission marks the second mission of the SWIMMR S1 project, implemented by the Space Physics and Operations Division of STFC RAL Space.