The newest addition to the Bartolomeo payload hosting platform on ISS is now fully operational.

Airbus U.S. Space & Defense announced today that the ArgUS platform, designed to accommodate smaller payloads on the Airbus Bartolomeo platform on the outside of the International Space Station (ISS) is now fully operational.

The new ArgUS multi-payload carrier brings an additional level of options and is designed to accommodate up to 10 sub-payloads into a single slot originally designed for one payload on Bartolomeo.

“It became clear early in the development of the Bartolomeo platform that, for a significant portion of the external payload market, smaller was better,” said Kris Kuehnel, the managing director of Space Exploration Operations at Airbus U.S. Space & Defense. “With the ability to host up to 10 payloads on a single mission, ArgUS provides the external payload community with an unprecedented level of options and flexibility as part of Airbus’ Bartolomeo All-In-One mission service offering.”

ArgUS Mission 1 consists of multiple payloads with unique goals. The ArgUS 1-1 base plate was launched on board the Cygnus NG-20 resupply mission, while the avionics box & customer payloads were launched on board the SpaceX CRS-30 commercial resupply service mission to the ISS.

The BAE Systems payload will acquire data while performing tests and experiments to mature technologies across various instruments, algorithms, software, and components. Another payload is Sen’s 4K Ultra High-Definition video camera system called SpaceTV-1, designed and qualified for mounting on the outside of spacecraft and satellites. Sen SpaceTV-1 will provide real-time 4K video streaming of Earth and space.

A second ArgUS platform (designated ArgUS 2-1) and associated customer payload was launched to the ISS on Cygnus NG-21. Once integrated by the ISS crew, ArgUS 2-1 joined ArgUS 1-1 in Voyager Space’s Bishop Airlock and both were simultaneously deployed.

ISS astronauts will change the ArgUS payloads on a periodic basis.

For more information on ArgUS and Bartolomeo visit: https://airbusus.com/leo-human-spaceflight-commercialization/

For more information on ArgUS and Bartolomeo visit: https://www.airbus.com/en/products-services/space/in-space-infrastructure/bartolomeo

To watch the video visit: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7244708312716349440

A watchful guardian  

The ArgUS name was inspired by Argus Panoptes, the 100-eyed giant who never slept in Greek mythology. Panoptes means all-seeing. Argus was a servant of the goddess Hera and he made an excellent watchman because he never fell asleep. When some of his eyes closed for a nap, others were open; so, Argus knew what was going on around him at all times. The ArgUS platform was originally envisioned as an imaging platform but can host multiple types of payload missions.  The capitalized ‘US’ is a nod to the platform’s American roots.