Bright Ascension

Bright Ascension makes mission ready software for space and ground systems. Its software suits any satellite mission, from small satellites to complex multi-satellite operations. The company says it has 15 years of experience and has supported more than 60 spacecraft launches.

Flightkit is a development environment for mission-specific flight software. It allows monitoring and control of onboard changes during development and flight. Groundkit is a ground software development environment built from reusable components and services.

Ops provides monitoring and control of spacecraft operations, and it grows with the mission. Edge is a ready-to-use payload software package for the essential requirements of a typical mission. HELIX is an end-to-end space software suite, from flight software to ground operations and data insight applications.

Services include operations software development and integration, which packages mission control systems to work with existing flight software. Flight software development is offered as a turn-key service. Integrated flight and ground software development is a full turn-key solution that streamlines spacecraft development and operations.

The company says the small satellite market is maturing into complex operations that rely on software systems that no longer fit. HELIX aims to connect these fragmented systems to improve efficiency and lower costs. It also says a unified architecture closes cybersecurity gaps between subsystems.

The website says 25 deployments are currently in orbit, and that Flightkit has over 50 deployments in orbit. These include 25 Earth observation missions, 10 communication projects and 15 demonstration spacecraft. Customers and partners shown include ESA, Kepler, Inspace, Clyde Space and the UK Space Agency.

Partners can join referral, reseller or value-added reseller programmes. The company has offices in Dundee and Edinburgh in Scotland, Bristol in England, and Camden, Delaware in the United States. Its knowledge base, datasheets and case studies are open to visitors.

Services

• Flightkit flight software
• Ops ground software
• Groundkit integration software
• Edge payload software
• HELIX suite
• Operations software development and integration
• Flight software development and integration
• Integrated flight and ground software
• Knowledge base
• Reseller programmes