Reaction wheels
A line of 13 reaction wheels, from CubeSat size to wheels for 400 kg-plus spacecraft. Blue Canyon has built 3,500 flight units since 2014.
Why it matters
Most small satellites need three or four reaction wheels, so wheel supply limits how fast constellations can be built.
How the technology works
A motor spins a precisely balanced flywheel faster or slower, and the satellite turns the opposite way, with no propellant used. Blue Canyon is expanding its line to 2,400 wheels a year.
Sources
Updated Oct 22, 2026 · How we source facts · Suggest a correction