A space-technology company (no, not SpaceX) based in the US State of Alabama, Aevum recently unveiled what is being termed as the world’s largest Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS). The massive 25,000kg “Ravn X” is a first of its kind autonomous aircraft system that is designed to deliver satellites into Earth’s low-orbit every 180 minutes.
So, Autonomous Launch is pretty different from air or ground launch systems. Unlike relying on manual labor, the entire vehicle is run by a complex AI and machine learning-based system called the autonomous launch architecture. This advanced system measures numerous complicated variables like weather conditions, the weight of the payload, and distance to the orbital position to deliver an end-to-end service without any human interventions.
Hence, Aevum aims to use a fleet of its autonomous Ravn X vehicles to launch satellites for space organizations without risking any human lives. The UAS can take-off from a 1-mile runway, deliver the satellites to their designated position on the low Earth orbit, and return to its dedicated 800 sq ft. hangar all by itself.
