Franklin 1

Franklin 1 is a dedicated microgravity payload for protein crystallization, flown on commercial small satellites. Sealed process work, crystallization, and optical process data. Higher-cadence runs: more conditions, more replicates. Results come home as prioritized science data.

Atom One is building Franklin 1 so teams can buy mission execution and scientific data. Partners fly the bus.

Franklin 1 is designed to fly on partner CubeSats. Research capacity scales with the bus class: 6U carries 2–4 cartridges, 12U six, 16U eight.

Conceptual Image — Franklin 1 on partner CubeSats. 6U class 2–4 cartridges, 12U six, 16U eight.

Conceptual Image

Controlled process environment

Isolated reservoirs, precision injection, ultrasonic mixing, and active thermal control so the run starts clean and stays in window.

On-orbit observation

Optical and sensor monitoring on a cadence you specify. The chamber is watched for the length of the experiment.

Edge AI, data-first

Radiation-tolerant edge AI sequences the experiment and prioritizes the most valuable science packets for downlink. You receive science data packages at a cadence that lets R&D move faster.

Data-only results

Crystallization runs complete on orbit. Results come home as data.

Parallel capacity

Multiple Franklin 1 units can fly on a partner CubeSat so independent crystallization conditions run side by side.

Franklin 1 is a data-only protein-crystallization payload: lower cost, higher cadence, dedicated capacity for process questions answered with on-orbit data.

Pathfinder targeted for 2027, partner- and funding-gated.

Schedule a research mission