ValentinaOrbiterValiant

ValentinaOrbiterValiant (VOV) is a fictional orbital observer conceived as a case study in next-generation autonomous spacecraft. Named to honor pioneering spaceflight figures, the design explores deep-space surveillance, planetary science, and technology demonstrations through a compact, modular bus.

Configuration and subsystems: VOV employs a modular structure with a 7–8 metric ton mass, a compact body 2.0 m by 2.5 m by 3.5 m, and deployable solar arrays delivering up to roughly 6 kW of electrical power. It uses xenon-fed Hall-effect thrusters for gradual orbital adjustments and deorbiting, along with an onboard attitude control system based on reaction wheels and star trackers. A panoramic optical telescope, an infrared radiometer, and a suite of plasma and dust sensors provide a mixed instrument payload for Earth observation, space weather, and heliophysics studies. Communications rely on high-rate X-band links and a Ka-band downlink for science data.

Mission profile: The hypothetical mission envisions an initial low Earth orbit phase for attitude and thermal testing, followed by a cislunar demonstration to validate autonomous navigation, autonomous fault management, and optical data relay over long distances. In extended operations, VOV could conduct targeted observations of lunar or near-Earth targets and participate in data relay for other missions.

Development: As a conceptual design, ValentinaOrbiterValiant serves as a model for evaluating modular architectures, long-duration power budgets, and autonomous operations in small to mid-sized spacecraft. It has been used in academic and industry studies to compare propulsion choices, instrument suites, and mission architectures, highlighting tradeoffs between power, mass, and data return.