SkyfloX has successfully closed the ESA project DOCS-2. In DOCS-2, the concept ORCA (Optical and Rf Constellation on Airplanes), aiming to use of commercial transport airplanes as platforms to carry EO payloads and the resulting capabilities has been evaluated in detail and its technical and business interest was confirmed. 

ORCA is a ‘marriage’ between space and aviation technologies, and SkyfloX gathered a team of expert industries possessing all required skills. The partners in DOCS-2 gained experience and skills complementing their initial expertise (space companies in aviation, aviation partners in space) and are prepared for participation in the ORCA commercial deployment activities.  

Based on End-Users’/potential customers’ requirements, the ORCA system and its operations were optimised, and a first generation ORCA payload, as well as a corresponding ground segment, were developed, built, and tested by the DOCS-2 team. 

Extensive tests and simulations confirmed the exceptional capabilities of ORCA. A minimum payload able to support a maximum number of applications was produced. Country/ Continental (Pan-European) coverage is already possible with 100 airplanes.  

Certification and installation on commercial aircraft was addressed in detail in cooperation with several airlines. An official STC application for the ORCA payload was filed at EASA. Furthermore, pioneering work has been performed for ORCA in the regulatory area. The unprecedented nature of the proposed ORCA operations, lack of certain regulatory framework and competency matters between national authorities has been a challenge, however SkyfloX has made major progress and has currently obtained written clarifications from dozens of European states.  This is a major achievement of the project which clarified operations over central/northern European countries.

As a next step, SkyfloX aims to deploy the system commercially with the aid of private investments or strategic partners.