Kepler partners up for ESA’s optical data relay constellation
TAMPA, Fla. — Kepler Communications, a Canadian small satellite operator, is teaming up with Europe’s Airbus Defence and Space and its independent laser terminal subsidiary Tesat-Spacecom to develop an optical relay network in low Earth orbit (LEO).
The Canadian company is leading the group to help bid for a greater role in the European Space Agency’s High Throughput Optical Network (HydRON) program.
First presented to Europe’s Ministerial Council in November 2019, HydRON envisages a multi-orbit, terabit-per-second transport network for extending the reach of fiber networks on the ground.
- Previously, Kepler was a subcontractor within two competing groups that won early ESA study contracts in 2022 for a multi-orbit HydRON demonstration mission: one led by Airbus and another led by Thales Alenia Space.
Mina Mitry, Kepler’s CEO, said the new consortium is working on proposals for succeeding phases of the HydRON program that are focused on developing its LEO, ground and networking elements.
- These phases cover next steps for defining and further developing a potential HydRON demonstration mission and are currently out for tender.
- ESA is also expected to release future tenders to cover additional orbital regimes, which Mitry said would be compatible with the undisclosed number of LEO satellites his group is planning.
In the new consortium, Kepler plans to leverage technology it is already developing for its own LEO optical data relay network. The operator currently has 21 satellites in a sun-synchronous fleet that provide low-data-rate connectivity for devices out of range of terrestrial networks.
- Kepler’s proposed LEO data relay network would be placed along two near-orthogonal planes in sun-synchronous orbits to enable continuous communications with LEO satellites.
- According to Kepler, the data relay network would provide real-time connectivity for LEO satellites, which can otherwise only relay information when passing over approved ground stations.
- Airbus is providing network systems engineering and a ground segment that would include optical stations.
- Tesat is responsible for laser communication terminals and spaceborne networking equipment.
Thales Alenia Space is responding to the latest HydRON tender through its Italian subsidiary, according to a spokesperson for the company, which is leading a separate consortium of companies that have yet to be announced.
NRO signs agreements with five commercial suppliers of electro-optical imagery
WASHINGTON — The National Reconnaissance Office announced Dec. 5 it has signed agreements with five commercial providers of electro-optical satellite imagery, including four startups that are just starting to build out their constellations.
Airbus U.S. Space and Defense, Albedo Space, Hydrosat, Muon Space and Turion Space were selected for the NRO’s Strategic Commercial Enhancements program, which seeks new and emerging types of electro-optical imagery beyond what the agency already procures from Maxar, BlackSky and Planet Labs under a 2022 contract known as the Electro-Optical Commercial Layer.
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“The commercial EO market continues to expand with new capabilities and new providers,” said NRO Director Chris Scolese. “We are excited to continue our work with mission partners and the user community to continually explore new providers and emerging capabilities so we can deliver first-class commercial EO solutions today and well into the future.”
The five Strategic Commercial Enhancements contracts are projected to extend for 2.5 years. During the first stage, the NRO will examine the companies’ capabilities at both the individual sensor and constellation levels, as well as business and cybersecurity planning. In the second stage, the agency will assess on-orbit capabilities and procure data products.
Pete Muend, director of the NRO’s commercial systems program office, said these contracts “demonstrate our commitment to meet increasing customer demands with greater commercial capacity.”
These awards follow six agreements with commercial hyperspectral imaging companies awarded in March 2023, six commercial radio-frequency remote sensing contracts awarded in September 2022, and five commercial radar contracts in January 2022.
New constellations
The companies selected by the NRO include an established Earth imaging data provider, Airbus, and four emerging players like Hydrosat, a thermal infrared data and analytics company that provides geospatial intelligence for climate, food security and the environment through daily surface temperature data and analytics.
- Hydrosat’s contract with the NRO includes the evaluation of high-resolution thermal imagery from its planned constellation of satellites, CEO Pieter Fossel said in a news release.
- Another startup selected by the NRO, Muon Space, will provide multispectral electro-optical and infrared data collected by the company’s future climate monitoring constellation, designed to provide global coverage with rapid revisits for a persistent understanding of global thermal activity.
- California startup Turion Space is building a non-Earth imaging constellation to provide space situational awareness services.
- The startup Albedo plans to operate satellites in very low Earth orbit to gather ultra-high resolution visible imagery as well as high-resolution thermal infrared imagery. Albedo also plans to provide nighttime imaging, non-Earth imaging and video.
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