The emphasis of the project is on low-cost, short timescale access to space and the rapid dissemination of experimental data. Although built and operated by the UK's Defence Research Agency, many experiments are collaborative, involving the Ballistic Missile Defense Organization, the European Space Agency and Universities. After 2.5 years of operation the spacecraft has been turned over to NASA and the University of Colorado for communications experiments. Platform requirements are approximately 19W, leaving 13W for payload operations.
Control is through magnetorquers and a cold gas thruster system.
Payload Both spacecraft carry a variety of space technology and environment experiments.