OmniEarth LLC announced today a partnership with Harris Corp., Draper Laboratory and Dynetics to create a constellation of satellites to deliver high resolution analytics-grade, multispectral imagery data and products, and hosted payloads to commercial and government customers. Imagery data and products will be for subscribers in the agriculture, energy, natural resources, mobile services and government communities.
The planned OmniEarth constellation of up to 18 satellites will cover 100% of the Earth once per day. OmniEarth’s imagery and analytics will enhance users’ ability to detect, analyze, react to and predict economic and environmental change in near real time.
“This partnership brings together the necessary technical capabilities and space-mission experience for achieving the most ambitious mission to observe planet Earth ever undertaken,” said Lars Dyrud, president and CEO of OmniEarth. “This system will generate up to 60 petabytes of scientific quality Earth observation data annually to feed the next generation of Big Data analytics. Our planned satellite constellation will provide the platform for users who need high-quality analytics-friendly imagery to automatically extract commerce and environmental information and make predictions.”
The planned satellite constellation will also provide commercial and government customers a turnkey, hosted-payload solution, including launch, ground infrastructure and global coverage with a rapid revisit time. The offering consists of up to 80 kg of payload space per satellite with total system capacity of over 1400 kg, all on a highly stabilized LEO platform.
As part of the hosted payload partnership, Harris Corporation (NYSE:HRS) will integrate the hosted payloads using Harris’ AppStarTM reconfigurable, multi-mission payload platform to support marketing efforts for leveraging the available capacity for secondary missions. Harris is a leader in hosted payloads and is currently providing 81 hosted payloads for the new Iridium NEXT satellite constellation, the largest implementation of a hosted payload solution.
“Hosted payloads are a cost-effective solution that enable government and commercial customers to realize their mission objectives without the expense of single-mission satellites,” said Bill Gattle, vice president and general manager, National Programs, Harris Government Communications Systems. “OmniEarth will provide affordable access to space for those who could otherwise not obtain it.”
OmniEarth is partnering with Dynetics to develop and manufacture the satellites at Dynetics’ new state-of-the-art Solutions Complex, which was built to support assembly-line production. OmniEarth’s satellites are based on Dynetics’ TerraSenseTM, a high-bandwidth and maneuverable small satellite platform. In an earlier project, Dynetics manufactured FASTSAT (Fast, Affordable, Science and Technology Satellite) in less than 10 months using off-the-shelf technology and agile processes at half the cost of a “traditional” satellite and successfully carried six payloads to space.
“Dynetics is pleased to be a contributing partner and investor in this venture,” said Dynetics President David King. “We provide a flexible satellite platform and rapid production capabilities that the OmniEarth team will need to meet users’ needs quickly and affordably.”
Draper Laboratory is providing overall systems specification and systems engineering for the effort, ensuring that the design and its implementation ensures mission success. “Draper is pleased to be a key partner in the development of this first of a kind system and see it as a perfect match for the exciting, leading edge programs we want to support,” said Draper Director of Space Systems, Seamus Tuohy.
About OmniEarth
OmniEarth improves our subscribers’ ability to visualize the world around them by enhancing their ability to see, analyze, and react to change in real time. Through a constant stream of geoinformatics, OmniEarth subscribers always have access to imagery and derived information products from any location on Earth – on demand and over time. Our desire to investigate unanswered questions about our changing planet has led us to produce a reliable, constant data stream and enhanced decision-making tools for subscribers in the agriculture, forestry, energy, civil and military markets … and everyone else who wants to better understand Earth.
About Dynetics
Dynetics is an employee-owned, mid-tier, solutions provider for the defense, aerospace, and commercial industries specializing in intelligence, missiles, aviation, cyber, and space. Dynetics’ expertise includes development, manufacturing and operation of low-cost, rapid response small satellites. Facilities at the main campus in Huntsville, Ala., include machine shops, clean rooms and environmental testing equipment to support low-volume satellite production. Founded in 1974, Dynetics currently has about 1,300 employees and revenues approaching $300 million.
About Harris Corporation
Harris is an international communications and information technology company serving government and commercial markets in more than 125 countries. Headquartered in Melbourne, Florida, the company has approximately $5 billion of annual revenue and about 14,000 employees — including 6,000 engineers and scientists. Harris is dedicated to developing best- in-class assured communications® products, systems, and services.
About the Charles Stark Draper Laboratory
Draper is a not-for-profit research and development laboratory focused on the design, development, and deployment of advanced technological solutions for our nation’s most challenging and important problems in security, space exploration, healthcare, and energy. Draper has over 1,300 employees and revenues of approximately $500 million.
