Red-Eye 1, 2, 3 (Pinot, Merlot, Cabernet)

Red-Eye 2 [NASA]

RED-EYE is a DARPA program to develop and demonstrate technologies which increase the utility of low-cost microsatellites.

RED-EYE is a proprietary investigation that develops and demonstrates technologies that increase the utility of low-cost microsatellites. RED-EYE demonstrates lightweight, low-power, gimballed inter-satellite communications links appropriate for the approximately 100 kg class satellites. RED-EYE also demonstrates new attitude control components, onboard processors, software-defined radios and telescope technology.

Because the satellites were launched from the ISS, they could not be equipped with propulsion. The Millennium Space System team developed a form of aerodynamic drag modulation to control the constellation’s orbital spacing.

Red-Eye 1 (Pinot) was launched as an internal payload on the Dragon CRS-17 mission to the ISS, where it was deployed via the JEM airlock using the NanoRacks Kaber deployer on 27 June 2019.

Red-Eye 2 (Merlot) was launched onboard of Cygnus CRS-13 to the ISS. It was deployed on 17 June 2020.

Red-Eye 3 (Cabernet) was released from the ISS later in June 2020.