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Amber

retired
Technology DemonstrationsuborbitalLaunched 1/9/2023
Admin Edit
Mission & Launch
Launch Mission
Launch 2023-F01
Launch Vehicle
LauncherOne
Launch Date
1/9/2023
Last Contact
1/9/2023
Orbit & Mass
Orbit Class
suborbital
Altitude
-2,198.5 km
Inclination
97.5 deg
Dry Mass
10 kg
Total Mass
10 kg
Payload Classification
Mission Type
Technology Demonstration
Payload Category
TECH
Payload Class
D
Organizations
Operator
Satellite Applications Catapult
Manufacturer
AAC Clyde Space
Registry
Track
Mentions
55
All verified mentions of this spacecraft in source documents.
0.0-5.0
Actions

Horizon Technologies initially planned to launch Amber IOD-3 aboard a SpaceX Cargo Dragon mission in 2021 for deployment from the International Space Station.

PlanGeneralValue 4.0Oct 19, 2023UK funds surveillance satellite replacement lost in Virgin Orbit failure
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The Start Me Up manifest included the IOD-3 AMBER satellite developed by Satellite Applications Catapult and Horizon Technologies and built by AAC Clyde Space, intended as the first of more than 20 Amber satellites for maritime domain awareness.

PlanRelationshipsCapabilityGrowthValue 4.5Jan 16, 2023UPDATE 4: Virgin Orbit updates their “Start Me Up” mission anomaly

IOD-3 AMBER was developed by Satellite Applications Catapult and Horizon Technologies and built by AAC Clyde Space, all based in the United Kingdom.

RelationshipsCapabilityValue 4.0Oct 14, 2022Virgin Orbit announces Start Me Up mission from UK

IOD-3 AMBER is expected to be the first of more than 20 Amber satellites to provide space-based Maritime Domain Awareness data to users.

PlanGeneralGrowthValue 4.0Oct 14, 2022Virgin Orbit announces Start Me Up mission from UK

IOD-3 Amber is designed for communications missions and carries Horizon Space Technologies’ AMBER Payload dedicated to delivering Maritime Domain Awareness intelligence data.

CapabilityGeneralValue 4.0Oct 12, 2022AAC Clyde Space’s IOD-3 Amber is ready for the company’s first UK satellite launch

IOD-3 Amber’s RF geolocation and demodulation capability can be used to combat piracy, illegal trans-shipments, illegal fishing, and refugee smuggling.

CapabilityValue 3.6Oct 12, 2022AAC Clyde Space’s IOD-3 Amber is ready for the company’s first UK satellite launch

IOD-3 Amber is a 6U cubesat developed by the Satellite Applications Catapult, Horizon Technologies, and the UK Space Agency and designed and built by AAC Clyde Space.

CapabilityRelationshipsValue 4.2Oct 12, 2022AAC Clyde Space’s IOD-3 Amber is ready for the company’s first UK satellite launch

IOD-3 Amber will be the first satellite of more than 20 planned satellites in Horizon’s Amber constellation.

PlanGrowthValue 3.5Oct 12, 2022AAC Clyde Space’s IOD-3 Amber is ready for the company’s first UK satellite launch

IOD-3 Amber is planned to launch on a Virgin Orbit launch vehicle.

PlanGeneralValue 4.0Oct 12, 2022AAC Clyde Space’s IOD-3 Amber is ready for the company’s first UK satellite launch

Horizon Technologies’ first Amber™ cubesat will be launched from Virgin Orbit’s 747 Cosmic Girl as part of the Start Me Up mission.

PlanRelationshipsValue 4.5Oct 12, 2022Developed to—among other goals—track illegal maritime activities, Horizon Technologies’ Amber™ UK smallsat launch is upcoming

AAC Clyde Space shipped the smallsat IOD-3 Amber to the launch site at Cornwall Spaceport for preparation for launch.

RelationshipsPlanValue 4.0Oct 12, 2022AAC Clyde Space’s IOD-3 Amber is ready for the company’s first UK satellite launch

IOD-3 Amber uses in-built precision-engineered avionics that leverage decades of heritage from AAC Clyde Space’s subsystems.

CapabilityGeneralValue 3.5Oct 12, 2022AAC Clyde Space’s IOD-3 Amber is ready for the company’s first UK satellite launch

IOD-3 AMBER (aka IOD-3) was developed by Satellite Applications Catapult and Horizon Technologies and built by AAC Clyde Space in the U.K.

GeneralRelationshipsValue 4.0Oct 11, 2022With the manifest complete, Virgin Orbit’s flight hardware is heading to Spaceport Cornwall for the 1st orbital launch from U.K. soil

IOD-3 AMBER is expected to be the first of more than 20 Amber satellites to provide space-based maritime domain awareness data.

PlanGeneralGrowthValue 4.0Oct 11, 2022With the manifest complete, Virgin Orbit’s flight hardware is heading to Spaceport Cornwall for the 1st orbital launch from U.K. soil

AmberLink will provide ISR and SIGINT aircraft with a direct real-time data feed from Horizon Technologies’ Amber™ space-based intelligence data system.

RelationshipsCapabilityValue 4.0May 22, 2022A Major NATO Airborne Contract Goes To Horizon Technologies For Their Flying Fish™ Airborne SIGINT System

Horizon Technologies plans additional launches of Amber™ cubesats that will be formally announced at the Farnborough Air Show in July 2022.

PlanGeneralValue 3.0May 22, 2022A Major NATO Airborne Contract Goes To Horizon Technologies For Their Flying Fish™ Airborne SIGINT System

Virgin Orbit will launch Amber-1 on its LauncherOne vehicle from Spaceport Cornwall on a flight 2022 that is expected to be the first ever orbital launch from a United Kingdom spaceport.

PlanValue 4.0Apr 6, 2022First UK Orbital Launch From Space Cornwall Features Virgin Orbit’s Launch Of Applications Catapult’s Amber-1 Smallsat

The Satellite Applications Catapult and Virgin Orbit have an agreement to launch the Amber-1 satellite from the United Kingdom later 2022.

RelationshipsPlanValue 4.0Apr 6, 2022First UK Orbital Launch From Space Cornwall Features Virgin Orbit’s Launch Of Applications Catapult’s Amber-1 Smallsat

Amber-1 is expected to be the first of more than 20 planned Amber™ satellites to provide Maritime Domain Awareness data to users.

PlanCapabilityValue 4.0Apr 6, 2022First UK Orbital Launch From Space Cornwall Features Virgin Orbit’s Launch Of Applications Catapult’s Amber-1 Smallsat

The Amber-1 mission is intended to demonstrate how launch from the United Kingdom can enable organizations to rapidly deploy new technologies to orbit with a complete end-to-end capability coordinated from UK soil.

PlanGeneralValue 3.0Apr 6, 2022First UK Orbital Launch From Space Cornwall Features Virgin Orbit’s Launch Of Applications Catapult’s Amber-1 Smallsat