ISRO Gears Up To Launch Kleos Scouting Mission In November

ISRO might be finally opening up after months of lockdown. For all we know, ISRO might be gearing up to launch the Kleos Scouting Mission satellites. Kleos Space, a space-powered Radio Frequency Reconnaissance Data-as-a-Service (DaaS) said that the satellites will likely liftoff in November.

ISRO Scheduling Kleos Scouting Mission Launch

The launch of the Kleos Scouting Mission satellites indicates that ISRO might be opening up for full-fledged operations. Going into the details, the rocket launch will be done by ISRO, who is now facilitating commercial launches, said G. Narayan, the Chairman and Managing Director of NewSpace India (NSIL).

The satellites will be loaded on the PSLV rockets, an IANS report suggests. "The company has been informed (by NSIL) that the launch of the four Kleos satellites planned onboard PSLV-C49 mission is being targeted during the first half of November 2020, based on the current status of planning of activities," Kleos Space said. The statement further added that the schedule is subject to further changes due to operational circumstances beyond NSIL control.

The final decision of the launch of the Kleos Scouting Mission satellites will be decided by ISRO. Kleos Space further noted that these scouting satellites will be launch under a rideshare contract with Spaceflight Inc., which is managed by NSIL.

ISRO Back To Satellite Launches

Looking back, the Kleos Scouting Mission has been prepped up since mid-2019. Comprising of four satellites, the mission was already shipped to the launch site in Sriharikota in February this year, expecting a liftoff in March. However, with the COVID-19 and the consecutive lockdown, none of the launches could take place.

Apart from satellite launches, ISRO has many space missions lined up. Of course, scientists and researchers have been working remotely for these missions. For instance, the Gaganyaan mission with four astronauts in training is currently in Russia, gearing up to continue the preparations. The Chandrayaan-3 mission too, is in development, with various experiments in preparation.

And now with the Kleos Scouting Mission scheduled to liftoff in two months, it looks like the hiatus is coming to an end. The launch will open up the space agency in full swing. The exact launch date will be announced shortly, Kleos Space said.