York Space Systems

York Space Systems (USA, founded 2015) is a satellite manufacturer known for its standardized small satellite platforms, which enable relatively fast and low-cost production of satellites. The company’s S-CLASS platform is a modular bus that can accommodate a range of payloads for missions in low Earth orbit and beyond. York has a production facility capable of building dozens of satellites in parallel, targeting customers in the military, civil, and commercial sectors. By productizing satellite buses (much like assembling electronics), York Space Systems aims to shorten the time from order to orbit for spacecraft. The approach has attracted numerous contracts, including from the US Department of Defense’s Space Development Agency for large constellations. York’s success illustrates the trend of treating satellites as scalable products, helping to meet the demand for proliferated constellations with rapid deployment timelines.