Huntsville-based Teledyne Brown Engineering and Colorado partner Oakman Aerospace Inc. in June saw the launch of their Multi-User System for Earth Sensing (MUSES), now operating aboard the International Space Station.
MUSES is a precision-pointing platform aboard the Space Station that has considerable appeal to commercial enterprise, according to NASA, for such fields as ecology, agriculture and urban land use. The platform provides opportunities for imaging, technology demonstration and space qualification payloads supporting commercial, research, scientific studies and humanitarian efforts.
Able to handle four payloads simultaneously, MUSES can robotically change, upgrade and service instruments placed aboard the ISS. In cooperation with NASA, MUSES payloads have the unique ability to return to earth allowing for post-mission analysis and preservation of investment through the reusability of the instrument and canister. The rapid integration, standard interface reduces customer cost and integration time, according to Teledyne engineers.
Text by Dave Helms