A Soyuz-2.1a/Fregat commercial rideshare mission for GK Launch Services is scheduled to launch early Saturday morning with 38 satellites including two for Toronto based Kepler Communication.
The rideshare launch is scheduled for 2:07 a.m. Saturday and you watch it on YouTube. The primary payload is a 500kg Earth observation satellite with the Advanced Earth Imaging Sensor System-Compact (AEISS-C) payload, a panchromatic and multi-spectral image data sensors, for the Korean Aerospace Research Institute.
For Kepler, this mission, which was delayed from November 2020, will see Kepler-6 and Kepler-7 join 13 other Kepler satellites on-orbit, including 10 of its generation-1 satellites.
Kepler may also launch upwards of 22 satellites this year in its attempt to build out its 140 low Earth orbit communication constellation. The company has been ramping up production of its satellites from its downtown Toronto manufacturing facility.
Other satellites of note on this launch include the Internet of Things Challenge One satellite from Tunisia, its first satellite. As well the WildTrackCube – SIMBA satellite, a joint Italian – Kenyan satellite, will monitor the behaviour of animals. And lastly, Astroscale will launch its commercial active debris removal mission with its target and chaser satellites.