Kepler books first dedicated Rocket Lab Neutron launch for 2028 satellites

Canadian operator Kepler Communications has booked its first dedicated mission on Rocket Lab's Neutron rocket to deploy next-generation optical relay satellites. The flight is scheduled for 2028 and will be one of several launches the company plans that year.

The operator announced the deal on Aug. 10 without disclosing how many satellites will be aboard the inaugural dedicated mission. Previously, Kepler spacecraft rode as secondary payloads on rockets such as SpaceX's Falcon 9. Chief revenue officer Beau Jarvis said securing a dedicated launch marks the next stage of growth, adding that multiple launches in 2028 will boost capacity, strengthen resilience, and enable new services for customers.

Earlier this year, Kepler deployed the first tranche of its network with ten satellites weighing about 300 kg each. This reflects a strategic shift from providing connectivity for remote Internet of Things devices using much smaller radio frequency spacecraft of roughly 12 kg to heavier platforms with optical terminals and onboard compute.

According to the company, the low Earth orbit relay network has driven a tenfold year-over-year revenue increase and serves as the foundation for a hosted payload business. Disclosed partners include German wildfire-detection firm OroraTech, which has four thermal imaging payloads on Tranche 1 satellites. A Kepler spokesperson confirmed OroraTech is also using the operator's orbital compute and data relay capabilities.

Kepler's current optical relay service advertises data rates up to 2.5 Gbps, while the second tranche is designed to support 100 Gbps while remaining compatible with the earlier generation. Tranche 2 also includes ten satellites Kepler is developing for the first element of the European Space Agency's HydRON program, which aims to demonstrate a multi-orbit, terabit-per-second transport system for extending terrestrial fiber networks.

Rocket Lab's medium-lift Neutron is designed to carry up to 13,000 kg to LEO in its reusable configuration, compared with around 300 kg for the Electron small launch vehicle. The company plans to debut Neutron late this year after a first stage propellant tank ruptured during testing in January. Several contracts for Neutron have been announced so far, including one from a confidential customer.