T-0 Months To Launch

Author

Winston Tri
March 01, 2025

It’s here. Based on the previous newsletters, I bet y’all were expecting an extensive soliloquy about how this moment is so monumental for a list of reasons we’ve been saving up since Albedo was founded. That’s the next issue.

As you’re reading this, we have a fully-ready Clarity-1 just waiting to be launched into space. Words can’t do this moment justice, and if a picture is worth a thousand words… how about a video?

ICYMI, the above video is a great 2-minute introduction to Albedo, VLEO, and Clarity-1. Send it to someone who isn’t totally convinced about VLEO and watch the disbelief melt away before your eyes.

Clarity-1 Progress

  • Post-environmental time: maximized! After successful vibration and thermal vacuum test campaigns, the team used the time with Clarity-1 back at our Denver manufacturing facility to make high-leverage adjustments and add finishing touches.

  • Clarity-1 delivered to Vandenberg SFB! Clare made it safely to her destination and successfully fueled with propellant. She’s a go for launch!

  • Software systems are green for launch! Flight software and fault detection systems have been thoroughly tested and ready for all that launch will entail.

  • Edge cases run down and test environments accounted for. Our Monte Carlo simulations for our precision hardware and real-time hardware emulation systems have helped us account for both edge cases and differences between on-orbit and simulation environments.

  • Four launch rehearsals and counting. Including rehearsals for anomaly situations. We’ve even gone beyond launch operations and started getting in our reps for what we call RAZZOPS, which includes fun activities like thrust planning, collision avoidance, and calibration.

Clarity-1: ██████████ 100% Loaded

ICYMI

Spy-satellite-grade images could soon become available to everyone

The Economist did a high-level profile on us and the challenges of operating in VLEO!

www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2025/02/25/spy-satellite-grade-images-could-soon-become-available-to-everyone

Sending to Clarity-1 to the launch site

Fun photos from the team shipping Clare off to Vandenberg

www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7298014704629690368

Upcoming

Manifest: Demo Day - March 17th

Come check us out at Manifest: Demo Day if you’re in the D.C. area!

We’ll be showing off some pretty cool stuff alongside some great companies!

www.linkedin.com/posts/mslagh_manifest-demo-day-activity-7298118773843058688-tbk1?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAAyzpUoBDGFTu8tkPNKL9brDtyo54iiSSWM

VLEO: The New LEO in 5 Years?

If you’re attending Space Symposium, you should definitely join this session on VLEO, happening on Wednesday, April 9 from 3:15 - 4:00pm.

www.spacesymposium.org/agenda/vleo-the-new-leo-in-5-years

Closing Remarks

Yup, pretty short newsletter - we’ve been a little busy.

Next time you hear from me, Clarity-1 will be in space. It will take us a few months to complete our powered descent from LEO to VLEO, pop off our lens cap and show off that crisp high-res image - but we have some fun surprises in store for you along the way 😉 

Stay tuned as always!

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