D-Orbit, the space logistics and orbital transportation company, announced the signing of a launch contract with US launch provider Spaceflight to remanifest the four satellites of Kleos Space , a space-powered Radio Frequency Reconnaissance data-as-a-service (DaaS) company, to be launched and deployed on the next mission of D-Orbit’s ION Satellite Carrier, on the SpaceX Transporter-4 mission. The mission will feature D-Orbit’s ION Satellite Carrier, the Company’s flexible and cost-effective satellite platform able to precisely deploy satellites in orbit and facilitate the testing of new technologies in space.
Originally scheduled to ride aboard Spaceflight’s orbital transportation vehicle (OTV) on the SpaceX Transporter-3 mission in January 2022, Kleos’ Patrol Mission (KSF2) launch was rescheduled after the vehicle had to disembark from Falcon 9. D-Orbit partnered with Spaceflight to accommodate a few of Spaceflight’s customers on ION and, as a result, Kleos’ satellites were remanifested on the upcoming April 2022 launch.
“The Patrol Mission applications are a perfect example of how satellites can positively impact and enhance life on Earth. We are happy to have Kleos onboard our next mission and proud of the responsiveness with which our team has managed this change in ION’s configuration working closely with Spaceflight”.
said Renato Panesi, D-Orbit’s CCO.
Launching into a sun synchronous orbit, the Patrol Mission satellites will join the eight satellites already in orbit locating radio transmissions in key areas of interest around the globe, efficiently uncovering data points to expose illegal activity on land and sea. The twelve satellites’ constellation will detect and geolocate radio frequency transmissions to within 300m, improving the intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities of governments and commercial entities.
“We are committed to getting our customers payloads exactly where they need to be, when they need to be there. When Kleos’ original launch was delayed, we partnered with D-Orbit to quickly re-manifest the satellites. Our work with D-Orbit on this mission is a great example of industry collaboration to ensure satellites get to orbit in a timely manner.”
said Tony Frego, VP of mission management at Spaceflight Inc.
D-Orbit’s team has been working in close collaboration with Kleos and Spaceflight Inc. to perform all operations necessary to adapt and integrate the satellites aboard D-Orbit’s satellite platform.
Kleos’ CEO Andy Bowyer commented:
“The entire Kleos team welcomes this quick turnaround and great collaboration to launch and deploy the Patrol Mission satellites in April 2022. These four additional satellites will increase our data collection and ISR capabilities even further.”
D-Orbit launched its first ION in September 2020 aboard an Arianespace VEGA launcher, followed by three further missions flown in January 2021, June 2021, and January 2022, aboard SpaceX’s Transporter-1, Transporter-2, and Transporter-3 missions respectively. The next launch is scheduled for April 2022, as part of ION’s SPACELUST mission.
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