LINUSS (Lockheed Martin?s In-space Upgrade Satellite System) are two experimental 12U CubeSats by Lockheed Martin to demonstrate how small CubeSats can regularly upgrade satellite constellations to add timely new capabilities and extend spacecraft design lives.
LINUSS is a pair of LM-50 12U CubeSats designed to demonstrate how small satellites can serve an essential role in sustaining critical space architectures in any orbit. Developed using internal funding, LINUSS will be two of the most capable CubeSats in Geosynchronous Earth Orbit (GEO). Part of Lockheed Martin?s LM 50 family of smallsats, both LINUSS spacecraft are the collaborative integration of the company?s mission electro-optical payload deck with a next-generation 12U bus from Tyvak Nano-Satellite Systems, a Terran Orbital Company.
LINUSS? mission is to validate essential maneuvering capabilities for Lockheed Martin?s future space upgrade and servicing missions, as well as to showcase miniaturized Space Domain Awareness capabilities. LINUSS also will demonstrate mature new onboard high-performance processing by Innoflight; low-toxicity propulsion by VACCO; and inertial measurement units, machine vision, 3-D printed components and SmartSat? (transformational on-orbit software upgrade architecture) technologies by Lockheed Martin.
