Bellatrix teams up TelePIX for VLEO satellite mission

Indian startup Bellatrix Aerospace has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with South Korea’s space AI solutions company TelePIX to collaborate on a technology demonstration mission for Earth observation from Very Low Earth Orbit (VLEO). 

The two companies will custom develop a VLEO Earth observation satellite around the Choulette payload, aimed at securing high-quality geospatial data, according to a report by The Hindu.

TelePIX’s high-resolution wide-swath optical payload Chouette will be integrated with the Bellatrix’s VLEO satellite platform powered by Air-Breathing Electric Propulsion (ABEP). 

The companies are targeting a 2028 launch and mission commencement and will also cooperate on launch operations, early orbit operations, and overall satellite mission management, a report by News9 Live said.

“While a small, low-drag satellite may be sufficient for an initial technology demonstration mission, deploying meaningful payloads and building commercially viable constellations in the VLEO will require larger satellite platforms supported by significant advancements in propulsion technology,” Rohan M. Ganapathy, CEO, Bellatrix Aerospace, said. “Operating constellations in the VLEO has the potential to deliver game-changing improvements in optical imaging resolution compared to conventional LEO systems today.” 

“VLEO satellites are emerging as a key segment of the next-generation high-resolution Earth observation market, and advanced satellite operation technologies are essential for stable long-term operations,” Seongick Cho, CEO of TelePIX, said. “Through our collaboration with Bellatrix, we plan to extend TelePIX’s optical payload technology into the VLEO domain while strengthening the foundation for global market expansion.”