Bellatrix partners with Korean firm for next-gen EO satellite

Bengaluru: South Korean space AI company TelePIX has signed an MoU with Bengaluru-based space propulsion firm Bellatrix Aerospace to jointly develop a next-generation Earth observation (EO) satellite designed to operate in Very Low Earth Orbit (VLEO), with a technology demonstration mission targeted for launch in 2028.The partnership will combine TelePIX's high-resolution optical payload, Chouette, with Bellatrix's VLEO satellite platform powered by its proprietary Air-Breathing Electric Propulsion (ABEP) system. The companies said the collaboration aims to develop a satellite capable of sustained operations at altitudes between 150km and 250km, enabling persistent high-resolution EO and geospatial data collection."The MoU was signed at TelePIX's SpaceLab facility in Daejeon, South Korea. Under the agreement, Bellatrix will provide the satellite bus, including propulsion, power, thermal control and attitude control systems, while TelePIX will supply the Chouette optical payload and support system integration," according to a statement issued Monday.VLEO satellites operate significantly closer to Earth than conventional Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites, offering substantially higher imaging resolution. The segment is expected to see growing demand in defence, disaster response, environmental monitoring and precision observation applications.However, operating at such low altitudes presents a major technical challenge due to atmospheric drag, which can rapidly degrade satellite orbits. The companies said Bellatrix's ABEP technology, which uses atmospheric particles as propellant, will help enable long-duration operations in the VLEO environment.TelePIX said its Chouette payload has been specifically designed for VLEO missions and features a wide-swath imaging system capable of covering more than twice the observation width of comparable satellites currently in the market. The payload will also leverage the company's artificial intelligence-based image processing capabilities."Beyond the planned 2028 demonstration mission, the two companies will collaborate on launch operations, early-orbit activities and overall mission management. They will also explore opportunities for future constellation deployments and commercial VLEO missions following in-orbit validation," as per the statement.Calling VLEO a key frontier in next-generation Earth observation, TelePIX CEO Seongick Cho said the partnership would help TelePIX extend its optical payload technology into new operational domains while expanding its global footprint.Bellatrix CEO Rohan M Ganapathy said commercially viable VLEO constellations could deliver "game-changing" improvements in imaging resolution compared with conventional EO observation systems operating in higher orbits.