Ball Aerospace Selects Mercury RH3440 3U VPX Solid-State Data Recorder for MethaneSAT Mission

Mercury Systems, Inc. was selected by Ball Aerospace and Technologies Corp. to enhance the data recording and storage performance for MethaneSAT, the methane monitoring satellite being developed by a subsidiary of the non-profit Environmental Defense Fund.

RH3440 3U VPX high-density solid-state data recorder

With MethaneSAT, nations and companies will be able to identify, manage and reduce methane emissions and help slow the rate at which the Earth is warming.

The company’s storage technology delivers the high performance and sustainability required to operate in space’s harsh, radiation-intense environment. Ball’s MethaneSAT spectrometer will incorporate the firm’s RH3440 3U VPX high-density solid-state data recorder (SSDR), allowing the satellite to gather critical data needed to solve environmental sustainability issues. The digital recorder is optimized for size, weight and power (SWaP) and is radiation tolerant – crucial for a space mission. Moreover, since data will be generated at a rate higher than can be telemetered, the company’s ‘store-and-forward’ features allow delayed data transmission to ground stations while maintaining data integrity until the data can be transmitted.

Why it matters?
The fastest way to slow climate change is by reducing methane emissions, a powerful climate pollutant. Data from MethaneSAT, supported by the firm’s high-density SSDR, will help do just that.

“Mercury is honored to work with Ball Aerospace and MethaneSAT on this unique mission to monitor methane emissions from space,” said Tom Smelker, VP and GM, Mercury Microsystems. “We look forward to equipping the Ball Aerospace spectrometer and MethaneSAT with a reliable, high-performance and radiation-tolerant data storage solution, all in support of our vision: to make the world a safer, more secure place for all.”