OroraTech, the Munich-based wildfire satellite company, will put 10 more thermal sensors into orbit on Kepler Communications' Tranche 2 satellites, due to launch in early 2028. They join four Kepler-hosted sensors already in orbit and one set to launch in 2027, bringing the Kepler-hosted total to 15 by 2028. The company says detections from Kepler-hosted sensors reach its platform within minutes, compared with up to one hour for its existing network. It announced the news at Red Sky Summit in San Francisco, where it demoed a live data link through Kepler's optical communications network. OroraTech operates 20 thermal sensors in orbit and supplies agencies including the Idaho Department of Lands and the Alabama Forestry Commission. With its own next-generation satellites and up to 96 sensors on Eutelsat's fleet, it aims to update fire data every 15 minutes.

Kepler Communications has appointed Caitlin Marsh as President of Kepler U.S. to lead the company's American expansion. Marsh brings 15 years of experience in aerospace and national security sectors. Kepler operates 33 satellites and the first commercial optical data relay constellation, providing real-time space connectivity with on-orbit compute and hosted payload capabilities. The company has demonstrated SDA-compatible optical links between spacecraft and successful space-to-ground connectivity. Marsh previously served as Senior Director of Global Operations at Auterion, where she delivered a $47 million international security initiative in six months. She also held positions at SpiderOak, Ball Aerospace, and In-Q-Tel, managing technology portfolios for US intelligence and defence customers. Kepler plans constellation expansion in 2028, introducing optical data rates up to 100 Gbps.