Beyond Gravity and Rocket Lab Partner to Provide Pre-Integrated Avionics and Flight Software to the Constellation Market

Beyond Gravity and Rocket Lab partner to provide pre-integrated avionics and flight software to the constellation market. Beyond Gravity is a leading supplier to both established customers and New Space customers. “With more than 300 units of our constellation On Board Computer sold, we have set a standard for satellite computing for constellations. The partnership with Rocket Lab enables their leading flight software to run on our computer, providing customers with an integrated, flight-ready avionics and ground operations package,” said Oliver Grassmann, Executive Vice President Satellites at the international space supplier Beyond Gravity, headquartered in Switzerland. 

“Cutting-edge technology solution”

“Rocket Lab’s collaboration with Beyond Gravity enables us to deliver a cutting-edge technology solution that streamlines payload interfacing. This partnership ensures our satellite platform products are off-the-shelf and optimized for peak performance and reliability, empowering customers to achieve their mission objectives with confidence,” said Brad Clevenger, Vice President, Rocket Lab Space Systems.

Flight computer for LEO, MEO, GEO and beyond

Beyond Gravity’s constellation On Board Computer (cOBC) is the central command and data handling unit designed for small to large satellites and available for very small to very large quantities. The cOBC is a complete subsystem that provides many functions like on-board processing, precise GNSS satellite positioning, ground communication and both platform and payload interfaces. The cOBC can be used for different orbits, like low-earth orbit, medium-earth orbit, geostationary earth orbit or lunar orbit.

A computer based on off-the-shelf components

The constellation On Board Computer provides flexibility through a slice-based design, including an integrated navigation receiver and antenna, which allows customers to tailor flight computer functionality to suit their mission architecture and objectives. Based entirely on off-the-shelf components, the cOBC offers significantly lower costs, shorter lead times, and higher performance.

Next-generation software suites InterMission and MAX Constellation

With over 250 cumulative years of on-orbit flight heritage, Rocket Lab’s industry leading flight and ground software suites have supported programs across commercial and government sectors. The Company’s two next-generation software suites, InterMission and MAX Constellation, are built on successful missions to the Moon and beyond to deliver advanced autonomy, security, and scalability for complex space missions and constellation operations. With InterMission and MAX Constellation, Rocket Lab expands its end-to-end space systems capabilities, delivering robust tools for modern mission demands.

InterMission: Ground data and space operations platform

InterMission is Rocket Lab’s new ground data and space operations platform built for demanding missions and scalable to full constellations. Designed to maximize performance and autonomy, InterMission empowers users to monitor their spacecraft in real-time. InterMission integrates encryption, user authentication, and role-based access control to safeguard mission-critical data.

MAX Constellation: proven in every orbit and on lunar surface

MAX Constellation is an evolution of Rocket Lab’s MAX Flight Software, the industry-leader in on-board flight software, that has been proven in every Earth orbit and to the surface of the Moon. MAX Constellation delivers enhanced performance, automation, and cybersecurity for satellite constellations.

Benefits to the customer of the pre-integrated combination

As the hard work of integrating platform flight hardware and software has already been performed, future customers of the cOBC (constellation On Board Computer) using the MAX Constellation and InterMission software suites offering will benefit from significantly reduced development and test efforts, enabling their programs to focus instead on payload integration, accelerating time to launch.

Learn more about Rocket Lab’s space software capabilities: Space Software | Rocket Lab

About Rocket Lab

Founded in 2006, Rocket Lab is an end-to-end space company with an established track record of mission success. We deliver reliable launch services, satellite manufacture, spacecraft components, and on-orbit management solutions that make it faster, easier, and more affordable to access space. Headquartered in Long Beach, California, Rocket Lab designs and manufactures the Electron small orbital launch vehicle, a family of spacecraft platforms, and the Company is developing the large Neutron launch vehicle for constellation deployment. Since its first orbital launch in January 2018, Rocket Lab’s Electron launch vehicle has become the second most frequently launched U.S. rocket annually and has delivered more than 200 satellites to orbit for private and public sector organizations, enabling operations in national security, scientific research, space debris mitigation, Earth observation, climate monitoring, and communications. Rocket Lab’s spacecraft platforms have been selected to support NASA missions to the Moon and Mars, as well as the first private commercial mission to Venus. Rocket Lab has three launch pads at two launch sites, including two launch pads at a private orbital launch site located in New Zealand and a third launch pad in Virginia. To learn more, visit www.rocketlabusa.com.

About Beyond Gravity

Beyond Gravity, headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, is the first space company to combine a startup mindset, agility, speed and innovation with decades of experience and proven quality. Approximately 1800 employees at 12 locations in six countries (Switzerland, Sweden, Austria, USA, Finland and Portugal) develop and manufacture products for satellites and launch vehicles with the goal of advancing humankind and enabling the exploration of the world and beyond. Beyond Gravity is the preferred supplier of structures for all types of launch vehicles and a leader in selected satellite products and for constellations in the New Space sector. In 2024, the company generated a revenue of around CHF 359 million. More information at: www.beyondgravity.com 

Further information:

Philipp Bircher, Vice President Communication, Beyond Gravity
+41 79 790 11 81, philipp.bircher@beyondgravity.com 

Christian Thalmayr, Senior Manager Global Communication, Beyond Gravity
+43 180199, christian.thalmayr@beyondgravity.com 

Lindsay McLaurin, Senior Communications Manager, Space Systems, Rocket Lab
+1 804-317-3541, l.mclaurin@rocketlabusa.com