Orbital Delivery Breakthrough: Lunasonde's Tech Demonstrator Heads to Space via Momentus Partnership

Momentus, a U.S.-based commercial space services provider, has partnered with Lunasonde to transport the Picacho CubeSat into orbit. This partnership represents a significant milestone in making space-based research more accessible to emerging technology companies.

The Mission and Technology Behind It

Lunasonde, focused on subsurface imaging and resource detection, is sending Picacho to orbit as a proof-of-concept for its innovative sensing technology. The CubeSat will conduct measurements of low-frequency radio signal patterns within the ionosphere—data that will shape the architecture of Lunasonde’s next-generation satellite constellation designed to map underground water reserves and mineral deposits.

The Picacho payload will travel aboard Momentus’s Vigoride-7 orbital service vehicle, scheduled for launch on SpaceX’s Transporter-9 mission this October. The Vigoride platform has become known for its flexibility, allowing multiple satellite operators and research teams to share launch vehicles and reduce overall mission costs.

Momentus: Expanding In-Space Infrastructure

Momentus operates three Vigoride spacecraft already deployed in orbit, with additional flights booked through the end of 2024. The company specializes in orbital transportation and in-space infrastructure services, leveraging advanced water plasma propulsion technology to move payloads between different orbital altitudes and locations. This capability addresses a growing market need—cost-effective and dependable pathways to space for companies that might otherwise face prohibitive launch expenses.

“We’re seeing increasing demand for responsive, affordable access to orbit,” explained Chris Kinman, Momentus’s Chief Commercial Officer. “Partnerships like this one with Lunasonde demonstrate how our infrastructure approach opens new possibilities for space-based innovation.”

Why This Matters for Earth Science

Lunasonde’s CEO Jeremiah Pate highlighted the significance of the demonstration: “Vigoride’s adaptability made this mission possible for us. Successfully deploying Picacho will validate our sensor technology and inform our approach to studying the Earth’s subsurface through satellite-based measurements.”

The partnership underscores a broader industry shift: as commercial space transportation becomes more routine and affordable, companies developing specialized instruments—from Earth observation to geophysics—can more easily move from concept to operational deployment.