SMALLSATS FROM CUBESATS UP TO ABOUT 500 KG SATELLITES ARE A VIBRANT AND GROWING SEGMENT OF THE OVERALL SATE…

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SMALLSATS FROM CUBESATS UP TO ABOUT 500 KG SATELLITES ARE A VIBRANT AND GROWING SEGMENT OF THE OVERALL SATELLITE INDUSTRY. CUBESATS IN PARTICULAR STARTED OUT AS UNIVERSITY PROJECTS BUT NOW US GOVERNMENT ENTITIES SUCH AS NASA THE AIR FORCE RESEARCH LABORATORY AFR THE NAVY THE ARMY THE AIR FORCE SPACE AND MISSILE SYSTEMS CENTER SMC THE NATIONAL RECONNAISSANCE OFFICE NRO ETC ARE BUILDING AND LAUNCHING SMALL SATELLITES. SMC IN PARTICULARWANTS TO UNDERSTAND THE REQUIREMENTS THAT GET FLOWED TO SUB TIER SUPPLIERS FROM ENTITIES SUCH AS ONEWEB, OPERATIONALLY RESPONSIVE SPACE ORS PROGRAMS, AND ANY OTHER SMALL SATELLITE NOT CUBESAT PROGRAMS. BUILD ON SOME OF THE WORK STARTED BY THE JET PROPULSION LABORATORY JPL IN EXAMINING ELECTRICAL, ELECTRONIC, AND ELECTROMECHANICAL EEE PARTS USAGE ON SMALLSAT PROGRAMS TO DETERMINE WHAT THE POTENTIAL EFFECTS ON THE SPACE INDUSTRIAL BASE COULD BE. THERE IS A CONCERN THAT THE GROWING SMALLSAT INDUSTRY COULD PUT MORE PRESSURE ON ALREADY FRAGILE COMPANIES SUPPLYING SPACE GRADE PARTS TO THE CURRENT LARGER SATELLITE PROGRAMS. WHILE SMALLSATS ARE AN IMPORTANT AND GROWING SEGMENT OF THE OVERALL SATELLITE AND LAUNCH INDUSTRY, THE LARGER SATELLITES ARE NOT GOING TO VANISH AS THERE ARE PROGRAMS THAT SIMPLY CANNOT BE DONE WITH SMALL SATELLITES, SUCH AS HIGH POWER COMMUNICATIONS AND BROADCAST.