NorthStar and Kepler Sign Agreements to Expand Space-Based Optical Sensor Network

August 27th, 2026

NorthStar Earth & Space Inc., and Kepler Communications (“Kepler”) today announced a collaboration that combines NorthStar's leading space-based Space Domain Awareness (SDA) services and Kepler's advanced optical data relay infrastructure to accelerate the deployment of orbital sensing capabilities and streamline delivery of critical space intelligence to customers worldwide.

The collaboration comprises a payload hosting agreement wherein NorthStar's optical SDA sensors will be hosted on Kepler's satellite infrastructure that is delivering secure, low-latency, direct data transport from orbit to end users.

This agreement establishes the foundation for a long-term relationship that supports NorthStar's strategy to rapidly expand its sensor presence in orbit while delivering timely, actionable space intelligence to government and commercial customers. The partnership is designed to combine NorthStar's sensing and analytics expertise with Kepler's real-time data infrastructure, creating a scalable framework for future deployments to meet the demand for real time SDA.

The partnership also reflects a shared vision for scaling space infrastructure. Through a longer-term framework established between the companies, NorthStar and Kepler intend to collaborate on the deployment of increasing numbers of SDA sensors to support persistent monitoring across all orbital regimes and meet growing global demand for space domain awareness services.

“NorthStar is very proud to enter this partnership with Kepler,” said Stewart Bain, CEO and Founder of NorthStar.  "With a shared interest in serving the greater mission to ensure the security of space, these agreements represent an important step in expanding our sensor network and accelerating the delivery of space-based SDA services to customers. By combining our sensing capabilities with Kepler's communications infrastructure, we can deploy faster, scale more efficiently, and deliver information when it matters most."

"Kepler's constellation was built to enable real-time space applications and move mission-critical data from orbit to the people and programs who need it most," said Mina Mitry, chief executive officer and co-founder of Kepler. "Partnering with NorthStar demonstrates how integrated space infrastructure can accelerate the deployment of advanced sensing missions while delivering timely, reliable access to the data they generate.”

The collaboration supports NorthStar's broader effort to establish a robust, space-based sensing network capable of detecting, tracking, and characterising activity in Earth's orbital environment. By embedding sensors as hosted payloads on Kepler’s satellites and integrating them with Kepler’s space data relay infrastructure the companies are creating a scalable model for future SDA constellation growth and enhanced customer service delivery.