NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. — Capella Space, a provider of Earth observation services using synthetic aperture radar satellites, has been awarded a $15 million contract by the U.S. Air Force to modernize its sensor and data collection capabilities for military applications.
The Strategic Funding Increase (STRATFI) agreement was awarded by AFWERX — a U.S. Air Force organization that backs small businesses developing technologies with military applications. The funding will help Capella Space advance its next-generation SAR sensor technology, the company said Sept. 16.
“This new sensor will deliver enhanced resolution and key features requested by SAR users. New features include lower latency delivery via increased data downlink, and dual-polarization operation,” Capella Space said in a statement.
Extracting more data
Dual-polarization, a radar imaging technique similar to a multi-lens camera, improves the amount of information gathered from the surface being observed. This advancement enables more detailed analysis of target characteristics than traditional single-polarization SAR systems.
According to the company, the new technology will “unlock enhanced feature detection and classification across a wide range of applications, including defense, agriculture, environment, geology, oceanography, and disaster response.”
Capella Space’s SAR technology is known for its ability to penetrate clouds and capture high-resolution images day or night, making it a valuable tool for various industries, as well as military and government agencies seeking precise Earth observation data.
