Apex, a satellite bus platform manufacturer, has been chosen by Anduril Industries, a defense technology firm, to supply small-satellite buses for its military space missions.

The partnership is part of Anduril's expansion into the military space sector, with plans to develop spacecraft for applications like space domain awareness and satellite defense. Anduril will use Apex's Aries satellite bus to host AI-powered payloads for Edge data processing in orbit, with a self-funded mission in 2025 to demonstrate data processing and infrared imaging capabilities.

Apex's Aries bus flew its first mission in March 2024, carrying multiple payloads, including Anduril's Edge-processing system. The collaboration allows Anduril to leverage Apex's rapid delivery of commoditized satellite buses, offering shorter production timelines for its defense-oriented space missions.

Analyst QuickTake: Apex is expanding the provision of its satellite buses for the payloads of space-based missions. The company recently launched the GEO Aries satellite bus in August 2024 for geostationary missions and the Nova satellite bus in September 2024 , designed for larger payloads and intense missions from government customers.