TMC Technologies’ FlexSat® platform delivers a fully integrated, modular FlatSat solution that brings realistic hardware-in-the-loop testing to your satellite mission. By combining flight-grade electronics, software, and mechanical interfaces into one non-proprietary package, FlexSat® lets you prototype, validate, and iterate faster, whether you’re in the lab, the classroom, or the clean room.

Designed for maximum flexibility, FlexSat® supports:

  • Rapid prototyping: Swap in new payloads, avionics, or sensors in minutes

  • Open architecture: Leverage flight-representative hardware without “black-box” limitations

  • Scalable configurations: From small CubeSat flatsats to full-scale spacecraft emulators

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FlexSat® also complements TMC’s role as lead developer of the NASA Open Source Simulator for SmallSats. Together, hardware and software give you end-to-end mission-level fidelity.

FlexSat® Editions to Match Your Mission Needs

  • Cybersecurity Edition
    Harden your testbed with network-security testing, intrusion detection, and encrypted I/O, all of which are perfect for validating spacecraft cyber resilience.

  • Education & University Edition
    A turnkey flatsat designed for hands-on coursework and research: includes open-source flight software that can be ready to use within minutes.

  • Flight System Edition
    Full-fidelity hardware-in-the-loop setup for pre-flight verification and mission rehearsals, supporting standard spacecraft bus interfaces and flight software stacks.

Use Cases & Capabilities

  • Cybersecurity Research & Experimentation
    Emulate network traffic, test intrusion-detection workflows, and validate encrypted communications on a realistic flatsat platform.

  • Educational & Student Research
    Hands-on access to a flight-representative satellite bus, which is perfect for coursework, capstone projects, and thesis work.

  • Advanced Testing Scenarios
    Perform fault injection, stress tests, and “what-if” analyses to validate software robustness and hardware resilience.

  • System Design & Prototyping
    Rapidly develop and iterate power systems, attitude-control assemblies, and other subsystems in a safe, lab-friendly environment.

  • Technology Readiness Level (TRL) Advancement
    Elevate TRLs by exercising software and payloads on hardware that closely mirrors the on-orbit configuration.

  • Seamless Integration
    Fully compatible with <a href=https://github.com/nasa/NOS3><img src=https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nasa/NOS3/master/docs/images/nos3-logo.png alt="NOS3 logo" style="height:1.2em; vertical-align:middle;"> NOS3</a> and <a href=https://github.com/TMC-TECH/cryptoLib><img src=https://raw.githubusercontent.com/TMC-TECH/cryptoLib/main/logo.png alt="CryptoLib logo" style="height:1.2em; vertical-align:middle;"> CryptoLib</a> for end-to-end hardware-in-the-loop and software-in-the-loop testing.

Key Features

  • Turnkey Integration
    Hardware and software pre-integrated by TMC; delivered ready to run.

  • Modular & Open Architecture
    Swap components or software modules without vendor lock-in.

  • Phased, Customizable Delivery
    Scale your flatsat from basic core functionality to full-mission emulation on your schedule.

  • Non-Proprietary Design
    Fully documented interfaces and no “black boxes.”

  • Expandable & Future-Proof
    Add new payloads, sensors, or subsystems as mission requirements evolve.

  • Cost-Effective
    Industry-competitive pricing that lowers barriers to advanced flatsat testing.