Glasgow, UK Alba Orbital and Hello Space today announced a rideshare agreement to launch an Internet of Things (IoT) PocketQube satellite, ‘Istanbul’, aboard the upcoming ‘Alba Cluster 7’ mission via SpaceX in Q1 2023.
Hello Space, led by co-founders Muzaffer Duysal and Zafer Sen, is set to become one of the most prominent and disruptive technology start-ups born in Turkey, as they prepare to launch a fleet of low-cost ‘PocketQube’ satellites to deliver global data services from orbit.
‘PocketQubes’ are the smallest commercial class of satellites, no bigger than a rubik’s cube measuring 5cm per unit or ‘p’. These satellites are dramatically reducing launch costs and opening access to space for a plethora of new space-based applications.
‘Istanbul’, Hello Space’s first PocketQube satellite getting ready for launch in 2023, serves as an in-orbit demonstration mission for the company’s upcoming IoT constellation of 100 pico-satellites. The Turkish technology startup aims to improve device connectivity at a much lower cost than existing ground-based solutions, to provide global end-to-end data services for maritime, agricultural and industrial applications.
Muzaffer Duysal, Co-Founder of Hello Space, gained national recognition after launching Turkey’s very first PocketQube with Alba Orbital and SpaceX in January 2022 as Captain of the Grizu-263a Space team. Designed by a team of students from Bülent Ecevit University, Grizu-263a was successfully deployed in-orbit via SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket on board Alba Orbital’s ‘Cluster ¾’ mission – the largest PocketQube launch in history to date.
Caius M. Reza, Lead Business Development Executive at Alba Orbital, met with the Hello Space team at their facilities in Ankara for the MoU signing ceremony, just a few days after Alba’s third successful mission with Rocket Lab in May 2022.
“At Hello Space, we’re working hard to put Turkey among the top pioneers in the space and satellite manufacturing field. We’re aiming to build on our experience and expand as a global company that provides data services from orbit for actionable insights on earth and I’m proud to be working with Alba Orbital again as our trusted launch partner” said Hello Space CEO & Co-Founder, Muzaffer Duysal.
“We’re thrilled to see the progress Muzaffer and his team have made since we worked together on our joint SpaceX mission, and really excited to be working with him again to bring Hello Space’s services to orbit!” said Caius M. Reza, Lead Business Development Exec at Alba Orbital.
Alba Orbital has had a huge year in 2022 so far, as the Y Combinator-backed company successfully deployed another 17 satellites in orbit on two back-to-back missions with launch partners SpaceX and Rocket Lab. Following the company’s $3.4m seed round raise in 2021, Alba has rapidly scaled their launch services and development of its earth observation constellation.
Limited launch slots for 2023 are still available, with prices starting from 25K Euro to launch a PocketQube. Alba Orbital provides the most regular and reliable, low-cost launch services for PocketQubes, now having launched more than any organisation worldwide. More information can be found at www.albaorbital.com/launch.
About Alba Orbital Inc
Founded in 2012, Alba Orbital from Glasgow, Scotland, is the world’s leading PocketQube satellite manufacturer and launch broker. To date, Alba launch has successfully deployed 6 PocketQube satellites into orbit including the Unicorn-2 platform. Unicorn-2 is the world’s most capable Picosat by the specification. Alba also offers ground station services via their Albaconnect platform enabling an end-to-end service to new space users and operators. Alba has over 20 customers on 3 continents. For more information visit http://www.albaorbital.com
About Hello Space Systems Teknoloji Anonim Şirketi
Founded in 2022, Hello Space Systems from Ankara, Turkey is aiming to be pioneers of the PocketQube satellite technologies. Hello Space Systems is at the heart of the space applications development community at METU Technocity Ankara. Hello Space Systems also works closely with other stakeholders involved in space applications with an additional office in Istanbul, and our network includes developers and collaborators from all over the world. Hello Space Systems is a company that aims to take data communication to a different dimension by sending PocketQubeSatellites out of this world.
