ISRO expected to launch its satellites in Nov 2020: Kleos Space

Chennai: The Luxembourg-based Kleos Space, a space-powered Radio Frequency Reconnaissance data-as-a-service (DaaS) company on Friday said its Kleos Scouting Mission satellites are expected to be launched during the first half of November 2020 by Indian rocket PSLV.

"The Company has been informed (by NSIL via Spaceflight Inc.) that the launch of the four Kleos satellites planned on-board PSLV-C49 mission is being targeted during the 1st half of November 2020, based on the current status of planning of activities. This schedule is subject to change due to operational circumstances beyond NSIL control," Kleos Space said.

"The rocket launch is done by ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation). We are facilitating commercial launches," G. Narayanan, Chairman and Managing Director, NewSpace India Limited (NSIL) told IANS.

The NSIL is a commercial space company under Department of Space (DOS).

According to Narayanan, the actual launch date of the rocket Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV C49) will be finalised ISRO.

Kleos said it is launching the scouting satellites under a rideshare contract with Spaceflight Inc, with the launch managed by NSIL.

The Kleos Scouting Mission's four satellites have been mission-ready since the middle of 2019, and were shipped to the launch site (Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh) during February, anticipating the launch during March.

Delay to the launch from March has been due to the prevailing Covid-19 pandemic situation, Kleos said.

"In due course, NSIL via Spaceflight Inc. will confirm the exact launch date once the activities at the launch base progress successfully," Kleos said.