SHERPA (space tug)

Riding atop the launcher's final stage, SHERPA's release follows deployment of the primary mission payload for the dispensing of minisatellites, microsatellites, or nanosatellites such as CubeSats.SHERPA is a three-axis stabilized platform capable of on-orbit maneuvering meant to deploy small satellites carried as secondary payloads on rideshare orbital launches.SHERPA is a commercial derivative of the ESPA Grande ring, and it was developed and manufactured by Andrews Space, a subsidiary of Spaceflight Industries[2] since 2010 and was unveiled in May 2012.[2] [3] Riding atop the launcher's final stage, SHERPA is to be separated from the launch vehicle prior to any deployments or dispensing of minisatellites, microsatellites, nanosatellites and CubeSats.SHERPA-ES (SHERPA EScape) is a high-energy SHERPA-NG variant that will utilize the same bi-propellant propulsion system as SHERPA-LTC with 6 times more propellant to deliver satellites and hosted payloads to geostationary and cislunar orbits.
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