IoT tackles global connectivity challenges for industrial IoT devices across the maritime, agriculture, environmental, mining and oil and gas industries. It enables asset tracking and monitoring anywhere without reliable (or any) cellular coverage.
SatIoT network operator Astrocast’s nanosatellite IoT network, for example, offers users cost-effective, bidirectional communication and modules with long battery life that connect assets moving across its network. Astrocast helps customers monitor tanks, manage and monitor cattle and even track containers out at sea.
Astrocast is adding more to its nanosatellite IoT network to connect remote areas. Four Astrocast 3U spacecraft will be launched by Spaceflight aboard India’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle mission under a commercial arrangement with NewSpace India Limited.
The mission, scheduled for October, will launch from the Satish Dhawan Space Center in Sriharikota, India.
This is Spaceflight’s eighth launch on a PSLV and its fourth supporting Astrocast’s nanosatellite IoT network and constellation. Astrocast is a long-time Spaceflight customer that extended its multi-launch agreement with Spaceflight in March to accommodate Astrocast’s growing IoT constellation.
“As Astrocast builds its network and constellation, we can offer them a range of launch options, flexibility and customization to support their long-term plans,” said Curt Blake (News - Alert), CEO of Spaceflight.
Spaceflight previously launched all of Astrocast’s spacecraft into orbit, including Spaceflight’s SSO-A mission in 2018 and PSLV-C45 in 2019. The companies partnered and successfully launched an additional five nanosatellites on SpaceX (News - Alert) Transporter-1 in January 2021.
“Our long-standing relationship with Spaceflight and their access to, and experience with, an extensive portfolio of vehicles has provided us with the flexibility and customization needed to launch our satellites,” said Kjell Karlsen, CFO of Astrocast. “Assured access to space is critical for us as we grow our network.”
Completing the mission will see Spaceflight launch 16 spacecraft in total within the Astrocast constellation.