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You are here: Home / Archives for 2024

Archives for 2024

Vyoma secures million€€ from European Investment Fund-backed space fund

April 14, 2024 by editorial

Vyoma has successfully secured additional capital from a dedicated space fund backed by the European Investment Fund (EIF).

The EIF is an International financial institution owned by the European Investment Bank and the European Union that supports disruptive technologies through funds and private banks across different industries in the European continent. The EIF joins forces with Atlantic Labs, which is an existing investor of Vyoma based in Berlin, Germany, and manages the fund.

Vyoma is launching a space-based constellation for monitoring objects (space debris and satellites) from LEO to GEO. The first generation of the constellation will be composed of optical sensors. Pivotal technology for enhancing space domain awareness, these powerful sensors will provide 24/7 information about space traffic and feed predictive analytics algorithms with ground-breaking data that will map the evolution of assets in space at unprecedented accuracy. Importantly, anomalous behavior and ill-intent will also effectively be detected, and alerts issued to the respective defence authorities.

With this information, Vyoma guarantees independent surveillance of space objects assets and the safety of in-orbit assets, supporting Europe’s geostrategic autonomy and space sovereignty. The first units of this space-based monitoring system are primed for launch in early 2025. This additional capital will be used to advance its technical developments and hence the commercialization of space-based data from the first and second-generation of satellites. To support these efforts, Vyoma will also strengthen its engineering team.

Stefan Frey, co-founder and CEO of Vyoma,, said, “This investment is a recognition by the European Institutions of the pressing need to address hazards in orbit and guarantee safety of assets. With Vyoma’s space-based surveillance system, we can in effect not only monitor the majority of all space objects in low-Earth orbit larger than 1 cm, but also detect ill-intent and malignant actions. This confluence of technological solutions and geostrategic goals is what drives this investment. At the same time, we are proud to count once again on Atlantic Labs for its continuous support.”

“The NewSpace industry has the potential to unlock technologies that can have a ripple effect across a range of other sectors,” said Marjut Falkstedt, Chief Executive of the EI. “I am delighted that EIF support, with the backing of the InvestEU programme, will enable companies like Vyoma to advance their work in cutting-edge fields like orbital monitoring. This is not only important for ensuring the safety and security of space missions and satellite operations – it will also play a role in enhancing Europe’s overall security and technological sovereignty.”

About Vyoma
Vyoma is a Munich-based company that leverages ground-based and soon, space-based data to empower automated satellite operations. Officially founded in August 2020, Vyoma enables real-time space traffic management in congested orbits around Earth. While space is becoming increasingly crowded, Vyoma provides safe and automated satellite operations services, drastically reducing mission costs for its customers. The company’s operations services range from detection of close approaches between satellites and debris and optimisation of manoeuvres, all the way to full automation. Vyoma tends to operators, reinsurers, and space agencies. As a participant in the EU Commission and ESA programs for Space Domain Awareness (SDA) technology development, Vyoma relies on a specialised workforce of 25+ engineers and scientists.

Filed Under: News

Mercury Systems receives L3Harris contract for SDA’s T2TL constellation

April 14, 2024 by editorial

Mercury Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: MRCY) has been awarded a $31 million contract from L3Harris Technologies (NYSE: LHX) to provide solid-state data recorders for the U.S. Space Development Agency (SDA)’s Tranche 2 Tracking Layer satellite constellation.

Artistic rendition of of L3Harris’ Tracking Layer Tranche 2 missile-tracking satellites for the SDA, courtesy of L3Harris.

L3Harris was selected in January to design and build 18 satellites that will provide near-global missile warning and tracking coverage, with preliminary missile defense, under SDA’s Tranche 2 Tracking Layer program.

The Tracking Layer is part of SDA’s Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture (PWSA), a layered network of military satellites supporting multiple missions in LEO. Tranche 2 follows the 16 satellite constellation L3Harris is building for Tranche 1 plus the four recently launched satellites the company built for the Tranche 0.

Mercury’s solid-state data recorders (SSDRs) are the primary storage devices on all three L3Harris constellations. These radiation-tolerant devices enable on-orbit sensor data processing and storage in a 3U VPX form factor, with a microprocessor and software-free design that ensure precise, long-term operation in harsh environments. Mercury SSDRs have a proven spaceflight heritage, powering missions such as NASA’s Earth Surface Mineral Dust Source Investigation science mission that is currently in operation aboard the International Space Station.

“We are extremely proud to provide the on-orbit data storage capabilities for this important national security mission,” said Tom Smelker, GM of Mercury’s Microsystems business unit. “The Mercury Processing Platform brings unique advantages to the space domain, with edge-ready products that turn data into decisions.”

About Mercury Systems
Mercury Systems is a technology company that delivers mission-critical processing power to the edge, making advanced technologies profoundly more accessible for today’s most challenging aerospace and defense missions. The Mercury Processing Platform allows customers to tap into innovative capabilities from silicon to system scale, turning data into decisions on timelines that matter. Mercury’s products and solutions are deployed in more than 300 programs and across 35 countries, enabling a broad range of applications in mission computing, sensor processing, command and control, and communications. Mercury is headquartered in Andover, Massachusetts, and has 24 locations worldwide.

Filed Under: News

Sidus Space announces 2nd agreement with HEO

April 12, 2024 by editorial

Sidus Space, Inc. (NASDAQ: SIDU) announced during the recent Space Symposium in Colorado Springs that the company finalized an additional agreement with HEO, a leading provider of non-Earth imaging (“NEI”) and data, for NEI payload and data services.

Under the agreement, Sidus Space will host HEO’s NEI imager, HOLMES-006, onboard LizzieSat-3, as part of the SpaceX Bandwagon-2 launch scheduled for November of 2024, along with a monthly data services contract. This marks the second agreement between HEO and Sidus Space, as Sidus Space’s LizzieSat-2 will be hosting HEO’s HOLMES-004 on the same launch.

HEO’s Holmes Imager is a telescopic space camera designed and developed to be hosted as a secondary payload on spacecraft. Holmes is the world’s first commercial camera dedicated to NEI, which captures images of resident space objects. The images obtained can provide valuable information about the identification, physical characteristics, movements, and interactions of satellites in orbit. Sidus’s LizzieSats will take HEO’s NEI sensors to mid-inclination LEO for the first time, increasing orbit diversity and enabling higher-quality images and data on a range of new and previously covered space objects.

“We are accelerating our work to proliferate NEI sensors in orbit, and we love partnering with companies at the cutting edge of spacecraft deployment,” said Dr. Will Crowe, CEO and Co-Founder of HEO. “We’ve loved working with Sidus and are excited about their plans.”

“We are honored to have earned HEO’s trust and confidence in our ability to provide the platform for their NEI and data collection,” said Carol Craig, CEO of Sidus. “Our companies work well together, and we look forward to a strong partnership to further enhance and expand the space ecosystem by offering a variety of valuable imagery and data.”

Filed Under: News

Rocket Lab returns previously flown Electron to production line in prep for 1st Reflight

April 12, 2024 by editorial

Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (Nasdaq: RKLB) has returned a previously flown Electron rocket first stage tank into the Electron production line for the first time in preparation for reflying the stage — this step is a significant milestone in Rocket Lab’s development program to make Electron the world’s first, reusable, small orbital launch vehicle.

An Electron rocket during takeoff

Rocket Lab has successfully recovered multiple Electron first stages from previous missions by returning them to Earth under a parachute after launch, splashing them down in the ocean, then collecting them onto a specially modified boat for transfer back to Rocket Lab’s production complex. All previously recovered boosters have undergone extensive analysis to inform an iterative development process to make Electron reusable, but this is the first time a tank has been moved back onto the standard production line in preparation for reflight.

The stage was successfully launched and recovered as part of the ‘Four of a Kind’ mission on January 31, 2024, and has already passed more acceptance tests than any other recovered Electron stage, including…

  • Tank pressurization test – a process that filled the carbon composite tank with inert gas and held it in excess of maximum operating pressure for more than 20x longer than the standard Electron flight duration;
  • Helium leak check – a stringent process that determines there are no leaks in the tank; and
  • Carbon fiber structural testing – including ultrasonic assessment and other non-destructive tests to confirm no delamination of the carbon composite tank fibers.

The stage will now undergo final fit out and rigorous qualification and acceptance testing to the same standard as a brand-new Electron tank to determine the recovered stage’s suitability for reflight. Rocket Lab has carried out iterative modifications across multiple recovery missions to hone the recovery process ahead of first reflight, including…

  • Ensuring Electron’s carbon composite structure survives the intense heat and forces of atmospheric reentry through innovative coatings, heat shields, and advanced reaction control systems to control the angle of reentry
  • Refining the parachute system to ensure reliable deployment and smooth deceleration from more than 2,300 meters per second to 10 meters per second
  • Honing the telemetry and tracking systems so the marine recovery team can locate the stage as soon as it splashes down
  • Streamlining the process of collecting the stage from the water in less than an hour, then ensuring safe transit back to the Rocket Lab production complex; ad
  • Successful launch of a previously flown Rutherford engine
Nine Rutherford engines powering the Electron rocket.

The payload scheduled to launch on the recovered stage will be announced following the completion of final acceptance and qualification testing.

“Through an iterative development process, we have methodically perfected each step of Electron recovery while simultaneously continuing to increase our Electron production capacity and launch cadence. This is the exciting final piece of the puzzle before Electron goes reusable,” said Rocket Lab founder and CEO Peter Beck. “Our key priority in pushing this stage back into the standard production flow for the first time is to ensure our systems and qualification processes are fit for accepting pre-flown boosters at scale. If this stage successfully passes and is accepted for flight, we’ll consider opportunities for reflying it in the New Year.”

Filed Under: Featured, News

Fleet Space launches Centauri-6 satellite on SpaceX’s Bandwagon-1 mission

April 11, 2024 by editorial

Fleet Space Technologies has successfully deployed the company’s Centauri-6 satellite on SpaceX’s Bandwagon-1 mission, launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 from Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Bandwagon-1 launch photo is courtesy of SpaceX.

The addition of Centauri-6 to Fleet Space’s satellite constellation will play a vital role in servicing the global demand for its end-to-end mineral exploration solution, ExoSphere, while also building capacity to deliver advanced SATCOM capabilities with smallsat architectures.

The successful launch of Centauri-6 is the latest development from Fleet Space after a period of exponential growth and innovative breakthroughs unlocking new capabilities in the global space sector. Recently, Fleet Space’s Centauri-4 became the world’s smallest voice-enabled satellite after a demonstration of Push-To-Talk (PTT) capabilities to the Australian Defence Force Joint Capabilities Division as part of their ASCEND2LEO program.

Fleet Space’s SPIDER seismic technology will also head to the Moon to search for water ice and deliver new insights about the lunar regolith on Firefly Aerospace’s second lunar mission in 2026 as part of a NASA CLPS initiative.

Fleet Space’s SPIDER tethered to Firefly’s Blue Ghost Lander

Rapid global adoption of Fleet Space’s satellite-enabled mineral exploration solution, ExoSphere, has been the catalyst behind the company’s sustained innovation in space technologies and growth over the past year. Over 40 industry leading exploration companies – including Rio Tinto, Core Lithium,and Barrick Gold – have used the technology to complete 300+ surveys for a variety of critical minerals across five continents. In 2023, Fleet Space completed a heavily oversubscribed A$50 million Series C funding round, doubled its valuation to A350$ million, and was named Australia’s fastest growing company.

ExoSphere, Fleet Space’s flagship mineral exploration technology, combines the latest advances in satellite connectivity, edge computing, AI, and geophysics to deliver 3D subsurface models of a survey area in days with near-zero environmental impact. To generate the 3D models, Fleet Space’s patented satellite-enabled seismic sensors – called Geodes – are distributed into an array across a survey area, then the data is transmitted and processed by Fleet Space’s satellite constellation in LEO, providing near real-time access to survey results for exploration customers around the world. Traditionally, seismic data acquisition and processing has taken months or years before it can be used as part of an exploration campaign. By delivering 3D subsurface models up to a depth of 2.5km in days, Fleet Space is radically reducing the time and resources needed to accelerate mineral discovery in support of the clean energy transition.

“Humanity’s expanding satellite infrastructure is rapidly unlocking new capabilities that can help to address some of the most pressing challenges facing our planet. At current rates of mineral discoveries and production, our net-zero goals and clean energy future are unattainable in the coming decades,” said Flavia Tata Nardini, Co-Founder and CEO of Fleet Space. “Leveraging the latest advances in space technology, AI, and geophysics – Fleet Space is demonstrating a path to accelerate mineral exploration in a more data-driven, scalable, and sustainable way. Centauri-6 is a portal into a future of efficient, mass-scale satellite manufacturing that can unlock previously unimaginable satellite-enabled solutions to hard problems on Earth.”

“Innovation in microsatellite architectures is advancing at an unprecedented rate, unlocking new capabilities across sectors at scale. The reprogrammability of our Centauri satellites enables in-orbit software updates that can deliver all-new capabilities, as we recently demonstrated with Centauri-4 – making it the world’s smallest known voice-enabled satellite,” said Matt Pearson, Co-Founder and Chief Exploration Officer at Fleet Space. “This marks a significant leap forward in the history of spacecraft – making a future with more energy-efficient, high-performing, flexible, and resilient microsatellite infrastructure within reach for the global space sector.”

Filed Under: News

Planet’s Planet Insights Platform debuts to unlock EO data

April 11, 2024 by editorial

Planet Labs PBC (NYSE: PL) has announced their Planet Insights Platform, the all-in-one venue for creating Earth insights — this offering unifies Planet’s product portfolio and the power of Sentinel Hub, which Planet acquired last year.

Combining Planet’s analysis-ready Earth data products with cloud-based analytics and tools will allow users to efficiently analyze, stream, and distribute data at scale, so they can make decisions reliably and with confidence. With this launch, Planet is enabling broad area management solutions that allow governments and businesses around the world to unlock EO data and obtain answers.

The platform brings together new capabilities that dramatically improve customers’ capacity to analyze and orchestrate large volumes of Earth data, reduce upfront development and maintenance costs, and focus on differentiation. These updates include…

  • A unified account experience across Planet & Sentinel Hub: By linking the two platforms, users will now be able to access cloud hosting and imagery analysis tools from Sentinel Hub through a single login.
  • Enhanced Analysis-Ready PlanetScope data: Analysis-Ready PlanetScope uses proprietary AI to create harmonized, cloud-masked, and spatially consistent daily stacks of images, which enable time-series analysis and machine learning applications.
  • Updated global Road & Building Change Detection: Planet’s Road & Building Change Detection AI-based models point to where development is taking place across country-wide areas, on a weekly basis. This can help users clearly understand how and where the places they care most about are evolving.
  • New and improved Planetary Variables: Field Boundaries trace the boundaries of agricultural parcels, giving insights into different crop types and growth throughout the season. Additionally, Crop Biomass Planetary Variable now integrates Planet’s daily, global PlanetScope data, offering a ​​cloud-free, analysis-ready data product for monitoring agricultural fields.
  • Time series and statistical analysis: Within the Planet Insights Platform, users can efficiently translate imagery into formats best suited for advanced data science and AI / ML models.

With the Planet Insights Platform, users can build insights and solutions, make decisions, and act faster and aims to provide users with robust, multidimensional Earth data that are accessible and actionable at the moment of inquiry.

“Empowering our customers and partners to easily unlock the immense value within Planet data is our primary focus,” said Troy Toman, Senior Vice President of Product and Software Engineering at Planet. “Planet Insights Platform is an important milestone on that journey. We’ve unified our core offerings into a powerful set of APIs and tools that provide access to multiple data sets and powerful analytics. This breaks down the conventional barriers to leveraging the power of Earth observation data while laying the foundation for future cutting-edge capabilities that make it easier for our partners to build solutions and our customers to get the answers they need.”

“Making sense and taking action in the face of the global challenges that governments and businesses are facing today requires looking broader, closer, deeper, forward and backward in time,” said Will Marshall, co-founder and CEO of Planet. “And further, solving such challenges requires not just data, but solutions. I’m so excited for this strategic launch because it creates a central place to access the best of Planet data, analytics, and unique tools that will enable an ecosystem of customers and partners to build innovative solutions in this time of rapid global change.”

Valentin Louis, Senior Earth Observation Specialist at the Rural Payments Agency, said, “We needed fast and quick access to satellite data that helped reduce the time spent on downloading and pre-processing. That’s where Planet Insights Platform comes in. It helped us quickly distribute, assess, and process data and insights across our agency by integrating seamlessly in our current software ecosystem.”

About Planet
Planet is a leading provider of global, daily satellite imagery and geospatial solutions. Planet is driven by a mission to image the world every day, and make change visible, accessible and actionable. Founded in 2010 by three NASA scientists, Planet designs, builds, and operates the largest Earth observation fleet of imaging satellites. Planet provides mission-critical data, advanced insights, and software solutions to over 1,000 customers, comprising the world’s leading agriculture, forestry, intelligence, education and finance companies and government agencies, enabling users to simply and effectively derive unique value from satellite imagery. Planet is a public benefit corporation listed on the New York Stock Exchange as PL.

Filed Under: News

Astranis’ next generation product: Omega

April 11, 2024 by editorial

Astranis has announced Omega which, according to the company, is pound-for-pound the most powerful communications satellite for a GEO satellite to ever offer, with more than over 50 Gbps in a smallsat form factor, with expectations for launch in 2026.

Astranis made their Omega announcement at the Space Symposium, currently in session in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Omega will fly an updated version of Astranis’s proprietary software-defined radio (SDR) which, when combined with other new payload technology, means a platform with more than 50 Gbps of dedicated, uncontended capacity.

For Astranis’ commercial customers, Omega will mean advanced capabilities and lower prices for, by combining new technology and leveraging the Astranis-built hardware currently operating on orbit. For Astranis’ U.S. government customers, Omega supports the Protected Tactical Waveform and other government waveforms to operate in contested environments. The satellite platform also has a gimballed Q-/V-band antenna, greatly improving operational flexibility, and can alternatively shift gateway traffic to a Ka-band payload feed when needed.

Astranis launched its first satellite in 2023 and has announced an additional nine programs launching over the next 18 months. The first Omega flight vehicle will be complete in 2025, and the first Omega satellite will launch in 2026.

“Omega is a leap forward,” said Astranis CEO John Gedmark, “offering an industry-best throughput per kg without sacrificing the things our customers love about Astranis. With Omega, our customers simply get more throughput at lower prices, faster than ever before. How did we do it? Speed. About half of our first satellite was built in house, the most recent satellites coming off of the line are closer to 60%, and Omega will be about 70% built in house. We have hired 300+ of the most talented engineers in the country, and we all feel an immense urgency to build great things to help connect our commercial customers and support the U.S. warfighter.”

Filed Under: Featured, News

Exolaunch signs HawkEye 360 to a multi-mission launch agreement

April 10, 2024 by editorial

Exolaunch has signed a multi-mission agreement for launch and deployment services with HawkEye 360 — this marks the first collaboration between the two companies, signifying an important milestone in advancing space-based technology and geospatial intelligence capabilities.

The first launch under this occurred on Sunday, April 7th., from Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Complex 39A via SpaceX’s Falcon 9 launch vehicle. Using Exolaunch’s proprietary, flight-proven, CarboNIX separation systems, the company successfully deployed three HawkEye 360 satellites on the SpaceX Bandwagon-1 mission.

Developed by University of Toronto’s Space Flight Laboratory, these satellites intend to increase coverage over high-traffic maritime corridors at mid-latitudes, including the Indo-Pacific region.

HawkEye 360, based in Virginia, is well-known for the firm’s maritime safety technology, providing insights into global activities by delivering timely and accurate information from radio frequency (RF) data and analytics. By leveraging Exolaunch’s experience and state-of-the-art deployment solutions, HawkEye 360 aims to expand further and enhance its presence in space.

This comprehensive contract covers integration and deployment services for at least ten satellites to be delivered into orbit for HawkEye 360. Notably, all these missions will use Exolaunch’s CarboNIX separation systems and EXOpod Nova containerized deployers, showcasing the trust and confidence from HawkEye 360 in Exolaunch’s industry-leading deployment technologies.

Under the terms of the agreement, Exolaunch will support multiple missions for HawkEye 360. The payloads are expected to launch on upcoming SpaceX Rideshare missions through 2025, and they are intended to strengthen geospatial intelligence services provided by HawkEye 360.

“We are very excited to partner with Exolaunch, a global leader in launch mission integration and deployment technologies, for our cluster 9 launch and subsequent launches,” said Rob Rainhart, president of HawkEye 360. “This partnership is an important relationship for HawkEye 360. It provides a basis for affordable launch and launch integration services that allow us to focus on bringing our analytics solution to market at greater speed and efficiency. We look forward to the continued partnership and opportunities this collaboration will bring to both our companies and the industry at large.”

“We are proud to partner with HawkEye 360, a pioneering innovator in geospatial intelligence solutions, and support their long-term launch program,” said Kier Fortier, managing director of Exolaunch USA. “Our multi-mission launch and deployment agreements underscore Exolaunch’s commitment to delivering unparalleled mission management services, backed by our flight-proven deployment technologies. We are confident that our expertise and proven track record will ensure the seamless deployment and success of HawkEye 360’s missions, ultimately advancing the frontiers of space-based intelligence.”

Filed Under: News

Sierra Space launches Velocity, Horizon, and Titan satellite bus family

April 8, 2024 by editorial

Sierra Space has launched the company’s new Sierra Space Eclipse satellite bus line.

Eclipse Logo - White font black background

This cutting-edge series sets a new standard in Earth Observation (EO), servicing, mobility, logistics and communications. The Sierra Space Eclipse bus line comprises three distinct classes tailored to a wide range of missions: Eclipse Velocity, Eclipse Horizon, and Eclipse Titan, each designed to meet the rapidly evolving demands of the modern space industry.

“At Sierra Space, we are committed to innovating at speed,” said Sierra Space CEO Tom Vice. “The Sierra Space Eclipse line is a testament to our dedication to innovation, offering scalable solutions that can meet the needs of tomorrow’s space missions today. With Velocity, Horizon, and Titan, we are not just launching satellites; we are launching a new era of space commercialization.”

Eclipse Velocity
Revolutionizing the highly maneuverable small satellite sector, the Eclipse Velocity is a marvel of engineering, offering unparalleled efficiency and agility in a compact form. Designed for LEO, MEO and GEO missions, with integrated Rendezvous, Proximity Operations and Docking (RPOD) capabilities and full 6-DOF controls. Velocity is a fully refuellable system designed for dynamic space operations. Eclipse Velocity makes space more accessible than ever before.

Eclipse Horizon
The high-rate production satellite of the Eclipse line, Eclipse Horizon, is a versatile medium-class bus designed for a broad spectrum of missions, from missile warning and defense, advanced Earth observation, and communications. Eclipse Horizon stands as a beacon of reliability, affordability, and high-performance enabling horizon-to-horizon coverage for government and commercial constellation missions.

Eclipse Titan
Dominating the skies, the Eclipse Titan is the pinnacle of satellite technology. A large-class bus with unmatched capabilities, it is destined for high-demand tasks such as cislunar, GEO logistics, on-orbit re-fueling, mission support and satellite deployment.

The Sierra Space Eclipse series represents a significant leap forward in satellite technology, featuring state-of-the-art propulsion systems, integrated rendezvous, proximity operations and docking, advanced communication capabilities, and robust power management. All capabilities are housed within scalable platforms that can be customized to unique mission requirements as a tailorable bus or as a fully integrated spacecraft.

“Our Sierra Space Eclipse product line is manufactured in a high-rate production system, with the ability to be refuellable on orbit, enabling the next generation of satellites designed for dynamic space operations,” said Erik Daehler, Vice President of Sierra Space Orbital Missions and Services.

Sierra Space has a legacy of nearly 30 years of experience designing, manufacturing and successfully delivering space systems, components, and spacecraft on-orbit. The company’s Orbital Missions and Services team has designed, produced, and launched 23 space vehicles and supported more than 400 successful space and interplanetary missions with subsystems and components.

About Sierra Space
Sierra Space is a leading commercial space company at the forefront of innovation and the commercialization of space in the Orbital Age®, building an end-to-end business and technology platform in space to benefit life on Earth. With more than 30 years and 500 missions of space flight heritage, the company is reinventing both space transportation with Dream Chaser®, the world’s only commercial spaceplane, and the future of space destinations with the company’s inflatable and expandable space station technology. Using commercial business models, the company is also delivering orbital services to commercial, DoD and national security organizations, expanding production capacity to meet the needs of constellation programs. In addition, Sierra Space builds a host of systems and subsystems across solar power, mechanics and motion control, environmental control, life support, propulsion and thermal control, offering myriad space-as-a-service solutions for the new space economy.

Filed Under: News

SI Imaging Services preparing commercial SpaceEye-T EO satellite

April 8, 2024 by editorial

SI Imaging Services (SIIS) is preparing, in collaboration with its parent company, Satrec Initiative, for the launch of a 100% commercial optical satellite with ultra-high resolution.

SIIS aims to innovate the domestic and international satellite data market by venturing into ultra-high-resolution (30 cm) SpaceEye-T imagery in 2025, in addition to providing KOMPSAT imagery. SpaceEye-T is entirely funded and manufactured by its mother company Satrec Initiative (SI) and will be operated by SIIS.

SpaceEye-T is capable of distinguishing objects as small as 30 cm on the Earth’s surface from about 600 km altitude. For example, in the world of construction monitoring or industrial inspections, 30 cm data means that users can gather the same quality of data that they used to rely on drones or airplanes for. Only a few countries, such as the United States, the European Union (EU), Israel, and China, possess commercial satellites with this level of resolution in the world. The manufacturing process is progressing smoothly according to the launch schedule, and it is scheduled to be launched into space by a SpaceX rocket next year.

Engineers are assembling the ‘SpaceEye-T’ satellite.
The front is the satellite body of the satellite, and the black pillar at the back is a large lens to be mounted to the satellite. Photo is courtesy of the company.

SpaceEye-T represents SIIS’s next-generation satellite. It has significantly improved in performance compared to previously produced satellites. With a resolution of 30 cm, SpaceEye-T can observe the Earth’s surface in great detail. This capability can be beneficial in various fields such as urban planning, natural resource management, disaster management, and military applications. The deployment of such ultra-high-resolution satellites is expected to offer innovative applications across various sectors due to these advantages. SIIS plans to launch three additional SpaceEye-T smallsats by 2027.

“Our growing constellation provides a reliable intelligence source, enabling a faster, more accurate response to changes occurring anywhere on the planet. Our vision takes the Earth-Observation industry one step further, helping commercial sector customers easily access the clearer and faster satellite data that can taking their decision-making during critical situations in various industries,” said Moongyu Kim, CEO of SIIS.

SI Imaging Services provides satellite imagery of Korean Multi-Purpose Satellite (KOMPSAT) 3, 3A, and 5. SIIS contributes to the remote sensing and earth observation industries with very-high-resolution optical and SAR images together with over 160 partners worldwide. Satellite imagery is used in remote sensing fields such as mapping, agriculture, and disaster observation. 

SIIS’s next venture, the launch of the ultra-high resolution (30 cm) SpaceEye-T in 2025, aims to revolutionize the satellite market. Satrec Initiative is a world-leading Earth Observation solutions provider. SI was founded in 1999 by the engineers who developed the first Korean satellite and a series of advanced smallsats The company has been focusing on developing high-performance small/medium satellite systems for Earth observation missions. The company has contributed to the success of more than 28 international and domestic space programs over the past 30 years.

Filed Under: News

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