Satellite footprints

Kepler LEO satellite constellation

Position:LEO
Manufacturer:AAC Clyde Space
Operator:Kepler
Launch operators:Arianespace
 CGWIC
 GK Launch Services
 Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO)
 SpaceX
Launch vehicles:Falcon 9
 Long March 3B
 PSLV
 Soyuz-2
 Vega
Launch date:
Expected lifetime:10 Years

The Kepler LEO satellite constellation is built and operated by Kepler Communications, a private satellite telecommunications company, to provide in-space connectivity. The company develops next-generation satellite communications technologies and delivers global satellite data backhaul services for wideband and IoT applications. The company’s stated mission is to deliver affordable network connectivity across the globe via a growing network of small satellites.

Kepler’s infrastructure is aimed to connect launch vehicles, space stations, habitats, and other satellites. Kepler primarily serves the maritime, natural resources, research and exploration, defense, and shipping and logistics industries.

Kepler, based in Toronto, Ontario in Canada, was established in 2015. The company has successfully launched two 3U CubeSat technology demonstration satellites, the KIPP (Kepler-1), launched in January 2018 and the CASE (Kepler-2), launched in November 2018.

Both satellites are in Sun-Synchronous polar orbits. The Company’s goal is to grow their constellation up to 140 spacecrafts, all located in Low Earth Orbit (LEO). Kepler’s third satellite, TARS (Kepler-3), was launched in September 2020.

The names KIPP, CASE, and TARS are taken from the fictitious US Marine Corps robots of the same name in the 2014 film “Interstellar.

Kepler’s satellites have been built by ÅAC Clyde Space, a company based in Glasgow, Scotland that specializes in CubeSat and SmallSat production. The company plans to construct its own satellites.


Kepler Satellites

Satellite Mission Launch Date Launcher Launch Provider
Kepler-1 (KIPP)   Jan 19th, 2018 Long March 11 CGWIC China
Kepler-2 (CASE)  HysIS  Nov 28th, 2018 PSLV  ISRO India
Kepler-3 (TARS)  SSMS Sept 3rd, 2020  Vega Arianespace FG
Kepler-4 (Antilles)    Sept 28th, 2020 Soyuz 2  GK Launch KZ
Kepler-5 (Amidala)   Sept 28th, 2020 Soyuz 2  GK Launch KZ
Kepler-6 (Rocinante)   Mar 22nd, 2021 Soyuz 2  GK Launch KZ
Kepler-7 (C3PO)   Mar 22nd, 2021 Soyuz 2  GK Launch KZ
Kepler-8 (Amarok) Transporter-1 Jan 24th, 2021 Falcon 9  SpaceX USA
Kepler-9 (Artemis) Transporter-1 Jan 24th, 2021 Falcon 9  SpaceX USA
Kepler-10 (Baby Yoda) Transporter-1 Jan 24th, 2021 Falcon 9  SpaceX USA
Kepler-11 (Daneel)  Transporter-1 Jan 24th, 2021 Falcon 9  SpaceX USA
Kepler-12 (Boba) Transporter-1 Jan 24th, 2021 Falcon 9  SpaceX USA
Kepler-13 (Lucky) Transporter-1 Jan 24th, 2021 Falcon 9  SpaceX USA
Kepler-14 (Stella)  Transporter-1 Jan 24th, 2021 Falcon 9  SpaceX USA
Kepler-15 (Sudormrf) Transporter-1 Jan 24th, 2021 Falcon 9  SpaceX USA
Kepler-16 Transporter-3 Jan 13th, 2022 Falcon 9  SpaceX USA
Kepler-17 Transporter-3 Jan 13th, 2022 Falcon 9  SpaceX USA
Kepler-18 Transporter-3 Jan 13th, 2022 Falcon 9  SpaceX USA

Kepler LEO satellite constellation

GK Launch Soyuz-2 launching Kepler satellites
Soyuz 2 launching Kepler satellites
SpaceX launching Small-sats
Kepler ÆRTHER constellation
Kepler satellite constellation
Kepler-3 (TARS) in orbit