5 Portal Space Systems announced the creation of Starburst, a small satellite capable of maneuvering between orbits. The company describes Starburst as "ESPA class", which means compatibility with the EELV secondary payload adapter, which is commonly used for joint launches.
The first mission of Starburst-1, planned for the fourth quarter 2026 year as part of the SpaceX Transporter-18 joint launch. The satellite will operate in a sun-synchronous orbit for a year, to demonstrate such capabilities, as convergence and operations in close proximity, quick orbit changes and task reassignments.
Starburst-1 will carry payloads from two companies. Company TRL11, specializing in space technology, will provide on-board cameras and data processing systems to monitor the state of the spacecraft, while the New Zealand company Zenno Astronautics, which is engaged in space flights, will demonstrate superconducting magnets for orientation control.
Starburst is designed to complement Portal's Supernova vehicle, which uses a solar-thermal propulsion system to provide both high thrust, and high momentum for interorbital transfers. Some systems, designed for Supernova, will be tested on Starburst, in particular engines, which will serve as the jet control system for the Supernova and the main propulsion system for the Starburst's movement.
Starburst will provide operators with a maneuvering platform, which will support distributed architectures in the required orbit, while Supernova will provide inter-orbital range.
Source: https://spacenews.com