NASA’s Athena EPIC mission to demonstrate modular satellite tech for Earth observation
HAMPTON, Va. - NASA’s Athena Economical Payload Integration Cost mission, or Athena EPIC, is a test launch for an innovative, scalable space vehicle design to support future missions. The small satellite platform is engineered to share resources among the payloads onboard by managing routine functions so the individual payloads don’t have to. This technology results in lower costs to taxpayers and a quicker path to launch, Charles G. Hatfield writes for NASA. Continue reading original article.
The Military & Aerospace Electronics take:
22 July 2025 - “Increasing the speed of discovery is foundational to NASA. Our ability to leverage access to innovative space technologies across federal agencies through industry partners is the future,” said Clayton Turner, Associate Administrator for Space Technology Mission Directorate at National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) headquarters in Washington. “Athena EPIC is a valuable demonstration of the government at its best — serving humankind to advance knowledge with existing hardware configured to operate with new technologies.”
Partnering with NOAA and the U.S. Space Force, the mission integrates a sensor payload from NASA’s Langley Research Center into a "SensorCraft," which is a customizable, building-block satellite made from Hyper-Integrated Satlets (HISats).
Unlike traditional school-bus-sized satellites, SensorCraft platforms are mini-fridge-sized and offer lower costs, greater flexibility, and higher redundancy. HISats provide shared onboard resources, allowing Athena to offload many control functions to the satellite itself rather than carrying its own processor. This integration reduces complexity and development expenses, allowing future missions to replace or upgrade sensors more easily.
Related: High-altitude aircraft use NASA sensors to hunt for minerals
Jamie Whitney, Senior Editor
Military + Aerospace Electronics
