Redwire Space NV has secured a contract with the European Space Agency to assist in developing a spacecraft for the ARRAKIHS mission, which aims to study dark matter in the universe.
The company plans to design a solution using its Hammerhead small satellite platform and established avionics capabilities. If selected for implementation, Redwire will integrate the ARRAKIHS satellite into its facilities in Belgium.
ARRAKIHS, which stands for Analysis of Resolved Remnants for Accreted galaxies as a Key Instrument for Halo Surveys, will scan nearby galaxies and their surroundings to provide new insight into the nature of dark matter.
Erik Masure, president of Redwire International, expressed eagerness to contribute to advancing space exploration through the ARRAKIHS mission.
“Our successful track record leading major international space missions and our expertise as a system integrator and spacecraft operator as demonstrated recently with the Proba-3 successes continues to be a critical capability for ESA,” he said.
The Redwire study will be one of two parallel industry studies for Phase A and Phase B of the mission. Carlos Corral van Damme, the ARRAKIHS project manager at ESA, noted that the agency expects to have the spacecraft design and the necessary technologies ready by mid-2026.