October 24, 2017 – Houston, Texas – Early this morning, NanoRacks successfully deployed the Kestrel Eye IIM (KE2M) microsatellite via the Company’s Kaber Microsatellite Deployer (Kaber) from the International Space Station. This is the largest satellite that NanoRacks has deployed to date, and the first deployed from the Kaber deployer.
“Customer demand pushed for larger satellite deployment in low-Earth orbit, so NanoRacks was there to accommodate,” says NanoRacks CEO Jeffrey Manber. “We’re thrilled to bring yet another commercial opportunity to the International Space Station, increasing utilization and bringing a new group of customers into our Space Station services.”
NanoRacks Kaber Deployment Program allows for a larger EXPRESS class of satellites to be deployed from the International Space Station, up to 100 kilograms. NanoRacks deploys these Kaber-class satellites currently through the Japanese Experiment Module Airlock, and will shift deployments to the NanoRacks Airlock Module when the Company’s commercial Airlock becomes operational (planned for 2019).
KE2M is an Army Space and Missile Defense Command (SMDC) and Adcole-Maryland Aerospace program, serving as a technology demonstration microsatellite carrying an optical imaging system payload, including a commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) telescope. The goal of KE2M’s investigation is to demonstrate that small satellites are viable platforms for providing critical path support to operations and hosting advanced payloads.
Notably, KE2M could provide lower-cost Earth imagery in support of time-sensitive operations, such as tracking severe weather and detecting natural disasters.
To learn more about the KE2M mission, click here.
To learn more about the NanoRacks Kaber Deployer, click here.
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About NanoRacks
NanoRacks is enabling space research and in-space services to customers world-wide from multiple platforms and launch vehicles. The company offers low-cost, high-quality solutions to the most pressing needs for satellite deployment, basic and educational research and both at home and in 30 nations world-wide for those new to the industry and aerospace veterans. Since 2009, Texas-based NanoRacks has truly created new markets, and ushered in a new era of in space-services.
In July 2015, NanoRacks signed a teaming agreement with Blue Origin to offer integration services on their New Shepard space vehicle. NanoRacks, along with partners at ULA and Space Systems Loral was also recently selected by NASA to participate in the NextSTEPs Phase II program to develop commercial habitation systems in low-Earth orbit and beyond.
As of August 2017, over 580 payloads have been launched to the International Space Station via NanoRacks services, and our customer base includes the European Space Agency (ESA) the German Space Agency (DLR,) the American space agency (NASA,) US Government Agencies, Planet Labs, Millennium Space Systems, Space Florida, NCESSE, Virgin Galactic, pharmaceutical drug companies, and organizations in Vietnam, UK, Romania and Israel.