Samara Aerospace’s Innovative Pointing Technology to Undergo In-Orbit Testing
San Francisco, October 21, 2025 — Samara Aerospace is preparing to test its groundbreaking satellite-pointing technology in space, marking a significant milestone for the company and the broader aerospace industry. The technology, known as Multifunctional Structures for Attitude Control (MSAC), will be flown aboard an Impulse Space Mira orbital transfer vehicle launching as part of a SpaceX Transporter rideshare mission.
A New Approach to Satellite Attitude Control
Samara Aerospace’s MSAC technology utilizes small piezoelectric actuators embedded in the hinges of deployable solar panels, a design that enables active noise cancellation and precise satellite orientation control. This innovative approach aims to enhance the stability and pointing accuracy of satellites, which is critical for applications such as Earth observation and communications.
In extensive ground-based testing, Samara has demonstrated that all MSAC components can withstand the intense forces experienced during launch and operate reliably in a space environment. The upcoming “all-up test” in orbit will expose the system to actual space conditions including vacuum, temperature variations, and zero gravity, validating that MSAC performs consistently outside the laboratory setting.
Confirming Reliability for Commercial Adoption
Vedant, co-founder and chief technology officer of Samara Aerospace, emphasized the significance of the in-orbit demonstration: “Flying the Cicada payload on the Mira vehicle will allow us to confirm that MSAC produces the expected forces and torques in space, mirroring the results we have delivered in controlled lab environments.”
CEO and co-founder Patrick Haddox added, “This final step is crucial to convince our customers that MSAC technology is as reliable as, if not better than, existing pointing systems currently in use.”
Developing the Hummingbird Satellite Platform
Building on the MSAC foundation, Samara Aerospace is also advancing a satellite bus called Hummingbird. Supported by a $2 million Tactical Funding Increase (TACFI) award from SpaceWERX—sponsored by the U.S. Space Force Space Systems Command and the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory—the Hummingbird platform integrates MSAC technology to offer enhanced stability aimed at next-generation sensing capabilities.
With matching funds from a recent $2 million pre-seed investment round, Samara plans to demonstrate core avionics, mechanical components, and control functionalities of the Hummingbird satellite in low-Earth orbit. The TACFI funding covers both development and the assembly of the satellite bus for launch.
Vedant explained, “Once we achieve flight heritage with the Hummingbird mission, every major subsystem will have been validated in orbit, greatly boosting our technology’s credibility.”
Fast Development and Future Opportunities
The company’s rapid development pace was highlighted by the construction of the Cicada payload, built in just four months by a dedicated seven-person team. Vedant noted that such agility is helping Samara gain traction with potential customers and partners, while Haddox added, “Support from SpaceWERX is accelerating our progress further.”
Looking ahead, Samara Aerospace aims to launch a larger 100-kilogram Hummingbird demonstrator satellite in 2027 and is actively seeking payload partnerships to accompany the mission. Vedant emphasized the opportunity this presents: “Since the Hummingbird demonstration is inherently a technology validation, the associated risk posture is compatible with a range of innovative payloads—we’re happy to serve as hosts.”
For readers interested in detailed aerospace industry developments, Samara Aerospace’s MSAC technology test represents a promising step forward in satellite control systems. The full realization of these capabilities in orbit could pave the way for more agile, precise, and efficient space missions.
Reported by Debra Werner, SpaceNews correspondent based in San Francisco.
