Lemur-2

Lemur-2 [Spire]

Lemur-2 (2nd gen.) [Spire]

Lemur-2 is the initial constellation of low-Earth orbiting satellites built by Spire. These satellites carry two payloads for meteorology and ship traffic tracking.

The Lemur-2 satellites carry two payloads: STRATOS GPS radio occultation payload and the SENSE AIS-receiver.

Following payloads are on board:

• Spire satellites, which orbit close to Earth's atmosphere, use the SENSE payload to listen for GPS satellite signals - which are impacted as they pass through Earth's atmosphere. Using a process called GPS radio occultation, Spire measures the change in GPS signal readings to calculate very precise profiles for temperature, pressure, and humidity here on Earth.
• The STRATOS payload enables tracking ships worldwide by receiving their AIS signals.
• Later satellites, beginning with the 78th satellite launched, carry also the AirSafe ASD-B payload to track airplanes.

The first generation of Lemur satellite features two solar panels of each two segments. The second generation, beginning with the 78th satellite launched (?), have enlarged solar arrays each of three segments.

The Lemur-2 satellites are launched in small batches as secondary payloads:

• The first four more Lemur-2 satellites were launched piggy-back on a PSLV-XL rocket in 2015.
• The second batch was launched with Cygnus CRS-6 to the ISS, four of the satellites to be deployed from the ISS airlock, five of them directly from the NanoRacks NRCSD-E deployer on the Cygnus vehicle. Deployment of the ISS satellites began on 18 May 2016. Four of the five other satellites were deployed on 22 June from Cygnus, but the fifth failed to deploy and reentered together with Cygnus.
• The third batch of four satellites was launched on a NanoRacks NRCSD-E deployer on the Cygnus CRS-5 cargo craft to be deployed after the departure from the ISS.
• A fourth batch of four was launched on a H-2B-304 with HTV 6 to the ISS to be deployed from there.
• Eight more followed on a bulk Cubesat launch on an Indian PSLV-XL in February 2017.
• In April 2017, four more followed on the Cygnus CRS-7 mission.
• Eight more were launched in June 2017 again on an Indian PSLV-XL rocket.
• Another eight were launched in July 2017 on a Russian Soyuz-2-1a Fregat rocket. One of these was deployed in a wrong but usable orbit.
• Spire planned to launch eight Lemur-2 into an equatorial orbit on the ORS 5 (SensorSat) mission on a Minotaur-4 Orion-38 rocket, but had to be cancelled due to legal issues concerning the restriction on the use of excess ballistic missile assets for commercial payloads.
• Eight satellites were launched in early November 2017 onboard of Cygnus CRS-8 on an Antares-230 to be deployed after the Cygnus departs the ISS.
• Another batch of ten satellites was launched on 28 November 2017 as copassengers on a Soyuz-2-1b Fregat rocket, but were lost due to an upper stage problem.
• A batch of six satellites was launched on 12 January 2018 launch on a PSLV-XL rocket.
• Two satellites were launched on 21 January 2018 on the second launch of the Electron KS vehicle.
• Four more satellites were orbited on 1 February 2018 on a Soyuz-2-1a Fregat.
• Four satelites were launched on 21 May 2018 onboard of Cygnus CRS-9 on an Antares-230 to be deployed after the Cygnus departs the ISS. These were the first Lemur-2 satellites enabled to receive ADS-B signals.
• Two satellites were launched in November 2018 on an Electron KS vehicle.
• Four more Lemurs followed also in November 2018 on a PSLV-CA rocket. Two of them were sponsored by ESA under the ARTES Pioneer program.
• In December 2018, eight Lemurs were launched on a Soyuz-2-1a Fregat.
• Four Lemurs were launched in April 2019 on a PSLV-QL rocket.
• Eight Lemurs were launched in July 2019 on a Soyuz-2-1b Fregat.
• Four Lemurs were launched in December 2019 on a PSLV-QL rocket.
• Eight Lemurs were launched in September 2020 on a Vega. Two of the satellites failed to deploy and reentered with the upper stage.
• Four Lemurs were launched in September 2020 on a Soyuz-2-1b Fregat.
• Six Lemurs will be launched in Jne 2021 on a Falcon-9 v1.2 (Block 5). Two will deployed directly from the launch vehichle, three from Sherpa-FX 2 and one from Sherpa-LTE 1.

It is unknown, how many Lemur-2 satellites in total will be launched. The total number of Lemur satellites will be around 100, but these will be incremental updated and may feature different sensors.

Note: As long as the individual serial numbers are not published, the satellites are designated on this website with placeholder designations like "x1". When the proper designations are known, the placeholders will be replaced.