SharkSat Scales Up to Deliver Advanced Technology Demonstration
By Doug Bonderud
Until recently, there was a shark in space. It was hurtling around the globe day after day, week after week, exposed to the harsh environment of space while mounted to the Cygnus spacecraft at low earth orbit (LEO). Spoiler alert: It was not an actual shark — it was Northrop Grumman’s SharkSat, an advanced technology demonstration effort designed to explore the potential impact of Ka-band, software-defined radio in space and cultivate the next generation of talent and leadership within Northrop Grumman.
As a showcase of sheer talent and determination, SharkSat offered a window into the evolving and dynamic career culture at Northrop Grumman. As a pioneering effort to create and launch a space-worthy payload in less than two years, it was a testament to the commitment, drive and creativity of our engineering teams.
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Scott Wilson, RF Payload Hardware Lead, felt the launch reflected his high hopes for the future.
"It was nice to see a program be able to accept higher risk and demonstrate something that we had high confidence in, especially in commercial space hardware" he confides.
But all the hard work and high pressure are perhaps best summed up by Engineering Technician Madeline Geiman.
"My blood, sweat and tears are in that payload," she says.
