Redwire Roll-Out Solar Arrays Successfully Deployed on First Commercial GEO Satellite for Maxar’s Ovzon 3 Mission

Ovzon 3 Credit: Maxar Space Systems

Redwire Corporation (NYSE:RDW), a leader in space infrastructure for the next-generation space economy, announced that two 5-kW Roll-Out Solar Arrays (ROSA) have successfully deployed and are operating nominally in geosynchronous orbit on the Maxar Space Systems-built Ovzon 3 communications satellite, which successfully launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 on Wednesday, January 3, 2024.  Ovzon 3 represents the first-ever integration of Redwire’s ROSA technology with a commercial satellite following years of successful operations on the International Space Station (ISS) and on NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission.

“Redwire is proud to support the Ovzon 3 mission with innovative ROSA technology, which will provide reliable, compact, and scalable solar power generation for the spacecraft,” said Adam Biskner, President, Space Systems at Redwire. “Redwire’s ROSA technology is continuing to leverage unparalleled innovation in solar power generation to enable the most ambitious missions from LEO to GEO and beyond.”

“We appreciate the partnership with Redwire and their commitment to excellence and reliability as a trusted supplier for this mission,” said Chris Johnson, CEO, Maxar Space Systems. “We look forward to partnering with them again in the future.”

As the first commercial integration of Redwire’s ROSA technology, the two solar array wings for the Ovzon 3 satellite extend ROSA’s successful heritage, including the six currently installed and successfully operating ROSAs on the ISS and the two wings used on NASA’s DART mission. In June 2023, Redwire announced a follow-on contract to build two additional ROSAs for the ISS.

ROSA’s groundbreaking design is also being used to supply power for the Maxar-built Power and Propulsion Element (PPE), which will be part of the first segment of the NASA-led lunar Gateway planned to launch late next year. The PPE will be powered by a pair of 37-kW ROSA wings, some of the most powerful spacecraft solar arrays ever built.