The Kepler Network will initially service low Earth orbit and plans to provide connectivity services to missions in LEO, MEO, GEO, and beyond.
Kepler is scaling operations to deploy the first Tranche of its next-generation constellation and expects to offer initial optical services in 2025.
Kepler established optical inter-satellite links during commissioning and early operations between two Pathfinder satellites equipped with Space Development Agency compatible Tesat SCOT80 optical terminals.
Kepler provides secure optical data relay services to government and commercial missions as a partner in modern space communications.
Kepler’s hybrid optical data relay network builds on flight heritage from Kepler’s existing constellation of 21 radio-frequency satellites.
Kepler currently operates 21 much smaller satellites in sun-synchronous orbits that use radio frequencies to provide low-data-rate connectivity for remote devices.
Starting next year, Kepler plans to deploy data relay satellites along two near-orthogonal planes in sun-synchronous orbits to maintain line of sight with LEO spacecraft.
Kepler has started work at its Toronto factory to produce 10 data relay satellites for Tranche 1, including one in-orbit spare, to provide initial optical services before the end of 2025.
Kepler’s relay satellites are designed to provide real-time connectivity for LEO satellites that can only relay data while passing over an approved ground station.
Kepler launched its first two optical pathfinder satellites in late 2023.
Kepler expects its first full tranche of optical satellites to be launched and operational by 2025 to provide services to commercial and government partners.
Kepler is leveraging technology being developed for its LEO optical data relay network, The Kepler Network, for the project.
Kepler’s LEO data relay network would provide real-time connectivity for LEO satellites that otherwise can only relay information when passing over approved ground stations.
Kepler launched its first two optical pathfinder satellites in late 2023.
NASA's history of the Discovery program illustrates its evolution through missions such as NEAR, Mars Pathfinder, Dawn, and Kepler.
Kepler’s network is an SDA-compatible space relay network designed to provide low-latency, high-throughput optical communications and 24/7 on-orbit capabilities.
The Kepler and Skyloom relay constellations will be used to transmit data to and from Axiom Space’s orbital data center via Optical Intersatellite Links.
Kepler Communications will use Kepler 20 and Kepler 21 to provide additional test and validation for payload technology planned for their next generation of satellites.
Kepler Communications plans to launch two Pathfinder satellites in Fall 2023 to test and validate optical communication technology developed for the Kepler constellation.
Kepler’s optical services will be operational and available to customers by 2025-01-01.