Muon Space's modular, flight-proven small-satellite bus family (Condor-M, Condor-XL, Condor-Ultra) that powers its Halo constellation stack, including the FireSat wildfire-detection constellation built with the Earth Fire Alliance and Google.
Condor
Muon Space's modular, flight-proven small-satellite bus family (Condor-M, Condor-XL, Condor-Ultra) that powers its Halo constellation stack, including the FireSat wildfire-detection constellation built with the Earth Fire Alliance and Google.
Description
Condor is Muon Space's flagship modular spacecraft platform, offered in three configurable classes (Condor-M, Condor-XL, and Condor-Ultra) spanning sub-ESPA to multi-kilowatt, 1,500 kg-class buses. Built on the heritage of Muon's earlier ~70 kg MuSat architecture (flown as MuSat-1 in 2023, MuSat-2 in 2024, and MuSat-3 in 2024 for GNSS reflectometry and multispectral/thermal-IR Earth observation), Condor extends that design into a full product line covering small to large missions. All Condor variants integrate SpaceX mini laser terminals for Starlink optical connectivity and are paired with Muon's proprietary Halo technology stack for end-to-end design, build, and operate services. Condor buses form the backbone of the FireSat constellation, a partnership between Muon Space, the Earth Fire Alliance, and Google to deliver 20-minute global wildfire detection. The FireSat Protoflight satellite launched March 14, 2025 on SpaceX Transporter-13, carrying a 6-band multispectral infrared instrument capable of detecting fire ignitions as small as 5x5 meters; the first operational block of three additional FireSat satellites is planned for 2026, scaling toward a 50+ satellite constellation by 2030.
Specifications
| Condor-M bus mass | 100 kg |
|---|---|
| Condor-XL bus mass | 250 kg |
| Condor-Ultra bus mass | 1,500 kg |
| Condor-Ultra payload power | 20 kW+ peak |
| Orbital altitude range | 475-1,100 km |
| Design lifetime | 5-8+ years depending on variant |
| Optical connectivity | Integrated SpaceX mini laser terminals for Starlink |
| Legacy platform (MuSat) mass | ~70 kg at launch |
| Flight heritage - MuSat-1/2/3 | Launched 2023-2024 on SpaceX Transporter missions; GNSS-R and multispectral/TIR payloads |
| Flight heritage - FireSat Protoflight | Launched March 14, 2025 on SpaceX Transporter-13; 6-band multispectral IR instrument |
| FireSat constellation plan | First operational block of 3 satellites targeted 2026; full 50+ satellite constellation targeted by 2030 |