From left: Dowon Lee and Victor Chun (TelePIX business development officer and chief business officer, respectively) with Rohan Ganapathy, Yashas Karanam and Amrut Yalagi (respectively Bellatrix’s CEO, chief operating officer and associate vice president of sales). Credit: Bellatrix Aerospace
TAMPA, Fla. — South Korean optical payload developer TelePIX and Indian propulsion specialist Bellatrix Aerospace have teamed up on a very low Earth orbit (VLEO) geospatial demonstration mission slated for 2028.
The companies announced a partnership May 28 to integrate an optical sensor TelePIX is designing specifically for VLEO with a spacecraft bus Bellatrix is building around an “air-breathing” electric propulsion system, which would use residual atmospheric particles at those altitudes as propellant.
VLEO satellites operate at altitudes around 150-250 kilometers, promising higher-resolution imaging capabilities than conventional satellites in higher, more stable orbits but with significant atmospheric drag challenges.
Bellatrix, which recently secured its first customer outside India after supporting several domestic missions with its electric Hall-effect thruster, started researching VLEO-tailored propulsion in 2024 amid growing interest in the orbit for defense, precision observation and communications.
