Jamie Bennet
Kepler Communications has raised $92 million in Series C funding for an Internet-ready optical data relay infrastructure it plans to launch in space in 2024.
The latest financing round, which was led by IA Ventures, brings Kepler’s capital to more than $200 million for a project that will complement its radio frequency network in space, the company said Thursday.
Kepler is working on deploying two relay satellites with near-orthogonal planes connected by software-defined access-compatible optical inter-satellite links. The systems will travel synchronous with the sun, and will provide real-time, high-speed Internet service to customers by early 2025.
With two Pathfinder satellites scheduled for launch in the fall, Kepler will have a total of 21 communication systems in space.
“Internet services on Earth completely transformed civilization, and we believe extending the Internet to space will have the same far-reaching impact,” said Kepler CEO Mina Mitry.
