Because SwRI has built avionics and performed modeling and analysis for every type of spacecraft subsystem, taking on the role of spacecraft provider for NASA missions was the natural next step in its evolutionary process. SwRI has strong heritage with all phases of instrument, payload, and payload interface development (design; analysis; fabrication; and assembly, integration, and testing) for complicated, large-scale missions and for smaller, cost-constrained missions. CYGNSS became the perfect mission for SwRI’s entrance into the spacecraft arena when NASA introduced, with this second Earth Venture opportunity, a new paradigm in Earth Science missions for a Category 3 Class D mission to provide frequent flight opportunities for high-quality, high-value, focused investigations at a low mission cost cap. SwRI’s breadth of experience in projects ranging from cost-constrained sounding rockets and CubeSat avionics to high-reliability payloads and missions, allowed it the flexibility, processes and procedures to successfully lead the CYGNSS microsat effort.
