THE ROAD TO MISSION ALPHA-SWEEP

Mission Alpha-Sweep is our inaugural orbital demonstration, designed to prove that the "dirty work" of space can be industrialised. Launching as a single 3U unit, the spacecraft will separate in orbit into a 2U "Predator" drone and a 1U "Prey" proxy. The mission’s objective is a full-sequence autonomous intercept and universal capture using the Spira Interface, followed by a guaranteed, controlled de-orbit. This is the transition from a bold concept to a verified commercial utility.

“THE FIRST LIVE HUNT”

  • Transitioning from concept to service requires housing a full industrial utility plant within a 10cm x 10cm x 20cm chassis. To achieve this 2U footprint, our architecture integrates custom-designed PCBs, AI-vision tracking, and high-efficiency solar arrays. Every millimetre is optimised to manage the power and altitude control systems necessary to turn this biological vision into a mass-producible orbital reality.

  • Before hardware deployment, the entire integrated system must pass through a gauntlet of terrestrial trials. This stage is designed to verify the structural integrity of the Spira arms and the endurance of our custom internal electronics under operational loads. We conduct thousands of high-frequency software simulations, power-cycle tests, and "Soft-Touch" capture cycles to ensure that every sub-system, from the PCB stack to the mechanical joints, can perform repeatably without failure.

  • Reliable movement and orientation are the backbones of the Alpha-Sweep mission. Our clean, water-based electrolysis drive system undergoes vacuum-chamber characterisation to measure precise impulse and delta-v capabilities. Simultaneously, the Altitude Determination and Control System (ADCS) is tested for sub-degree pointing accuracy, ensuring the drone can navigate and stabilise itself with high-fidelity precision during the "Hunt."

  • Survival in orbit requires rigorous certification against extreme environments. The Alpha-Sweep hardware is slated for Environmental Stress Screening (ESS), including thermal vacuum (TVAC) cycling and high-intensity vibration testing. These procedures simulate the violent forces of launch and the radical temperature swings of space to ensure the software, sensors, and structural components are flight-certified and space-hardened.

  • Following certification, the mission enters final integration and launch prep. During this phase, the 2U Sweep "Predator" and the 1U "Prey" are housed within a unified 3U launch chassis. Final end-to-end software simulations will be conducted to calibrate the autonomous AI-vision and GNC systems for the critical separation and intercept manoeuvres.

  • The mission's primary objective is the "Live Hunt" in Low Earth Orbit (LEO). After a controlled separation, the Sweep drone is designed to autonomously identify, track, and intercept the 1U proxy. The engagement of the Spira arms will provide the definitive proof that universal capture technology can secure non-cooperative assets without the need for pre-installed docking interfaces.

  • The final milestone is the guaranteed removal of both the drone and its captured asset. The mission profile concludes with a precision de-orbit burn, transitioning from water-based manoeuvring to a high-thrust solid booster. This final "kick" ensures a fast, controlled atmospheric re-entry, validating our "Zero-Waste" commitment to a clear and sustainable orbital highway.