Applied invests in deorbit systems with Vestigo acquisition
Vestigo Aerospace is known for its product line of Spinnaker deorbit systems. Spinnaker drag sails are designed to deorbit satellites and launch vehicle components operating in low Earth orbit.
US company Applied Aerospace & Defense (Applied) has announced its acquisition of Vestigo Aerospace known for its product line of Spinnaker deorbit systems, according to a media release.
Spinnaker drag sails are designed to deorbit satellites and launch vehicle components operating in low Earth orbit. They enable space system operators to comply with new licensing and regulatory requirements intended to mitigate the growing problem of orbital debris.
Before the acquisition, Applied was a supplier of advanced materials for thin-film polymer sails and the deployable booms used in Vestigo’s products.
The Spinnaker product line offers drag sail configurations that are sized to deorbit a broad range of satellites and spacecraft components up to 1,000 kilograms in mass. Spinnaker can deorbit objects in 5 years or less from altitudes up to 800 kilometers and in 25 years or less up to 1,000 kilometers, the media release said.
“We are proud to join the Applied team and look forward to accelerating the evolution of Spinnaker as a proactive and scalable solution for deorbit compliance,” said Vestigo founder and CEO Dr. David Spencer, who joins Applied as the company’s new vice president of deployable systems.
