Watch our aSpIrM video teaser:

We are very excited to announce our most ambitious mission so far:

aSpIrM is our as-if SpaceX Iridium Mission (launch only). Here’s why and what:

Although we at OxidanSky are clearly super awesome, we are in total admiration of our most favorite space protagonists, which can only be SpaceX and Iridium. Pioneering innovators with daring ingenuity, creativity, commitment and acumen; charismatic leadership with a compelling and positive vision and a great sense of humor; transparency and fair play as guiding principles: These are their traits that we simply adore. For this and for all their impressive achievements we consider them beyond awesome. They inspire us every day and make us want to stretch our own limits and push our goals.

Animated by the ongoing replacement of the Iridium satellite constellation put into orbit by SpaceX, we decided to mirror the upcoming launches within our frame of possibilities and see how far we get.

Here’s our – admittedly very ambitious – official launch schedule for aSpIrM.
Launch dates will usually be scheduled within one week’s time around IridiumNEXT launch dates.

After Launch 2 we will switch to a different launch cadence of app. two weeks after Iridium’s launch dates.

aSpIrM-1 – Feb 25, 2018:

Plain vanilla launch with dummy dispenser and 10 Iridia satellites. Here’s what happened. See full documentation.

aSpIrM-2 – Apr 21, 2018:

Watch our webcast covering all of the following launch activities:

Main mission:

• OS 2 “Starmam”Using the flight-proven OS 2 aka Starmam. Launching five Iridia satellites plus deployment of a previously undisclosed hosted payload. See documentation
  • The main mission was a complete success.

Test launches:

Further, we conducted a series of test launches to build towards Launches 3 and 4, flying from two launch pads with several boosters:

• OS 3 “Archie”Reference launch to establish rocket properties: parachute failed, booster is compromised. See documentation
  • Landing of a reusable satellite: not executed
• OS 1 “Not without my handbag”: See documentation
  • Fairing opening: successful
  • On-board downlink camera on second stage to show satellite and parachute deployment: successful
  • On-board camcorder on first stage: SD card was lost
  • Telemetry: altimeter, successful
  • Apogee detection and recording: successful
  • Detection and recording of fairing opening: successful

The Launch Fest was introduced and ended with four flights of our Elektra rocket. See documentation

aSpIrM-3 – Aug 14/15, 2018:

Deployment of ten Iridia satellites with features and creation of imagery thereof.
See our mission brief for further information.

Ten launches done, seven with Falcon 9 boosters, four to cover the #aSpIrM-3 goals. Mission goal accomplished.
Here you find Part 1 and Part 2 of the aSpIrM-3 webcast.

aSpIrM-4 – February 2, 2019:

aSpIrM-4 celebrates the completion of the Iridium NEXT constellation in a very special way: Drag Queen hoisted Weight And See into the sky. In case this makes no sense to you, here’s the full account of aSpIrM-4.