
OPS-SAT Missions
An OPS-SAT mission is any mission that supports ESA's OPS-SAT Space Lab Service. These missions are specially designed for in-flight experimentation, including powerful, reconfigurable units running standard software e.g. Linux, Python, FPGAs etc. The missions are used for in-flight experimentation not possible or desirable on other missions and require no charge, contract or paperwork. OPS-SAT Space Lab has three missions that are currently open for experiment registration; OPS-SAT PRETTY, OPS-SAT VOLT, and OPS-SAT ORIOLE.
Capture by OPS-SAT-1 © ESA
OPERATIONAL
MISSIONS

OPS-SAT PRETTY
- Available now
- SDR RX and GNSS
- On-board applications and firmware
ESA's OPS-SAT PRETTY mission offers a reconfigurable Linux based processing platform, a configurable Software-defined Radio, and a GNSS receiver for in-orbit experimentation. OPS-SAT PRETTY is 100% dedicated to OPS-SAT Space Lab and is available now.
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IN DEVELOPMENT
MISSIONS

OPS-SAT VOLT
- Launch '26
- Optical and quantum telecommunications
The OPS-SAT concept has been adopted by the ESA ARTES ScyLight Strategic Programme Line to create OPS-SAT VOLT, offering reconfigurable payloads that enable in-orbit testing and demonstration of cutting-edge technologies.
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IN DEVELOPMENT
MISSIONS

OPS-SAT ORIOLE
- Launch '26
- Optical telecommunications
The OPS-SAT concept has been adopted by the ESA ARTES ScyLight Strategic Programme Line to create OPS-SAT ORIOLE, which aims to enable in-orbit demonstration of a hybrid optical telecommunication and thermal camera main payload.
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RE-ENTERED
MISSIONS

OPS-SAT-1
- Decayed 2024-05
- 4.5 years of in-orbit experiments
ESA's OPS-SAT is the first of its kind, with the sole purpose of testing and validating new techniques in mission control and on-board satellite systems. The satellite is only 30cm high, but it contains an experimental computer ten times more powerful than any current ESA spacecraft.
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