Voyager Space Successfully Executes Bishop Airlock Operations in Starlab Preparation Mission

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Sep 25, 2024, 10:30 ET

Three Payloads Maneuvered in One Bishop Cycle, Highlighting Airlock Capabilities

DENVER, Sept. 25, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Voyager Space (Voyager) today announced the successful execution of commercial payload activities via the Company's Bishop Airlock on the International Space Station. This round of operations, done in collaboration with Airbus, marks a significant milestone as the two companies leverage their decades of flight heritage and active Space Station payload services in preparation for collaborative operations on the Starlab commercial space station.

During this mission, Voyager transferred two ArgUS multi-payload carriers (and their associated customer payloads) to the Airbus Bartolomeo external science & payload hosting facility utilizing the Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS) and Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator ("Dextre"), both manufactured by MDA Space. The ArgUS Multi-Payload Carrier, built by the Airbus US Space & Defense - Space Exploration team in Houston, is a payload accommodation platform that can host up to 10 smaller payloads on a standard Bartolomeo payload slot.

"We are proud to achieve another successful Bishop Airlock cycle, this time in partnership with Airbus," said Matt Kuta, President of Voyager Space. "This mission is a testament to the advanced capabilities of Bishop, our teams' dedication to expanding commercial research and innovation on the Space Station, and our commitment to global collaboration in the rising commercial space station era. Together, our companies look forward to leveraging our combined decades of commercial space services and manufacturing heritage to deliver an unmatched experience for our customers on Starlab."

The Bishop Airlock is the first permanent, commercial addition to the International Space Station's infrastructure. Bishop offers the largest available volume for deploying experiments and payloads from the Space Station today. The Airlock is an ideal platform for conducting microgravity research, hosting payloads, and operating technology demonstration missions. Payloads can be exposed to the space environment at several pointing positions or kept inside the Space Station environment. Additionally, Bishop provides several unique capabilities for deploying small satellites and microsatellites included the ability to accommodate various satellite sizes in a single cycle.

Airbus owns and operates the Bartolomeo platform, which is a payload hosting platform attached to the Columbus Module (also manufactured by Airbus) of the ISS. Both Voyager and Airbus are part of Starlab Space LLC, a global joint venture led by Voyager, that is designing, building, and will operate the Starlab commercial space station.

"This successful deployment underscores the strength of the Airbus / Voyager Space partnership and illustrates our shared commitment to advancing space exploration and commercial opportunities in low-Earth orbit," said Kris Kuehnel, the Managing Director of Space Exploration Operations at Airbus U.S. Space & Defense. "The successful integration and operation of these platforms on the International Space Station sets a solid foundation for future missions, including our work on Starlab."

Voyager remains a long-standing leading provider of commercial payloads and services to the International Space Station and will continue to be a leading payload channel partner to Starlab in the future, helping to ensure a smooth transition of microgravity research from the International Space Station onto commercial platforms like Starlab.

Notably, this mission is the first time the Bishop Airlock has been mounted on the Payload Orbital Replacement Unit Accommodation (POA) on the Space Station truss and utilized its second robotic grapple fixture (PVGF2).

About Voyager Space
Voyager Space is dedicated to building a better future for humanity in space and on Earth. With over 35 years of spaceflight heritage and more than 2,000 successful missions, Voyager is powering the commercial space revolution. Voyager delivers exploration, technology, and defense solutions to a global customer base that includes civil and national security agencies, commercial companies, academic and research institutions, and more.

About Airbus
Airbus pioneers sustainable aerospace for a safe and united world. The Company constantly innovates to provide efficient and technologically-advanced solutions in aerospace, defence, and connected services. In commercial aircraft, Airbus offers modern and fuel-efficient airliners and associated services. Airbus is also a European leader in defence and security and one of the world's leading space businesses. In helicopters, Airbus provides the most efficient civil and military rotorcraft solutions and services worldwide.

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SOURCE Voyager Space