D-Orbit has signed a launch and deployment contract with Kepler Communications that covers the launch of two, 6U, telecommunications smallsats.
The satellites will be boarded inside the ION Satellite Carrier (ION), D-Orbit’s proprietary, versatile, and cost-effective, orbital transfer vehicle (OTV) designed to precisely deploy satellites and perform technology demonstrations of third-party payloads on-orbit. After launch, which is scheduled for the first quarter of 2023, the satellite will be released by ION on a 500-600 kilometer Sun Synchronous Orbit (SSO).
The two satellites will carry Kepler’s Ku- and S-band payloads to test and validate technology that will enable inter-satellite communication and high-capacity data downlinking for the company’s next generation of satellites. Kepler is creating the infrastructure needed to support the current and future communication needs of the space industry by bringing the internet to space. The Kepler Network will provide constant connectivity to space assets, allowing mission-critical data to be received in real-time to amplify access to space-generated data.
“We are proud to partner with Kepler, a company that is leading the way in implementing high-performance satellite constellations to bring the internet to space,” said Renato Panesi, D-Orbit’s Chief Commercial Officer. “We believe our two companies share a common vision for the future of the space data industry, and we are confident that there will be further opportunities for synergistic collaborations in the future.”
“We are proud to partner with D-Orbit in the launch and deployment of our two newest satellites leading the development of our next-generation AETHER constellation,” said Diane Burchett, vice president of engineering for Kepler. “The Kepler Network will provide real-time, always-on communication to satellites and other space-borne assets for our customers.”