Earth observation

NASA to buy more commercial Earth observation data
NASA will seek continued access to Earth observation data gathered by commercial satellite constellations after a pilot program proved the value of those observations.

NASA Earth Science leaders anticipate low-cost launch options
NASA Earth Science leaders are enthusiastic about the potential for principal investigators to take advantage of new low-cost launch options.

Near Space Labs releases high-resolution imagery API
Near Space Labs unveiled an application programming interface Dec. 9 offering access to high-resolution imagery captured by cameras on weather balloons.

Study pegs cost of imagery constellation at $300 million
A new study says companies can build, launch and operate constellations to gather global imagery with a resolution of one meter for a fraction of the cost of previous constellations.

Umbra emerges from stealth mode with plans to offer 25-centimeter radar at optical imagery prices
After years of secrecy, Umbra Lab is revealing details of its plan to launch a constellation of 50-kilogram synthetic aperture radar satellites to capture imagery with a resolution of 25 centimeters.

Iceye’s one-meter Spotlight becomes commercially available
Iceye announced plans Oct. 16 to begin offering commercial access to its Spotlight mode, offering one-meter resolution synthetic aperture radar imagery.

NRO awards imagery subscription contract to Planet
The National Reconnaissance Office awarded a commercial imagery subscription contract to Planet Labs Federal, a subsidiary of Earth observation company Planet.

Planet to offer higher resolution, more spectral bands
Planet is preparing to offer 50-centimeter-resolution imagery from its SkySat constellation and updating Dove satellites to gather imagery in eight spectral bands.

Earth observation customers want speedy satellite tasking
Companies supplying Earth observation data should speed up satellite tasking for customers whose demands are time sensitive, according to a panel of Earth observation experts at the Satellite Innovation 2019 conference.

Royal Thai Air Force taps Innovative Solutions in Space to build second Earth observation satellite
The Royal Thai Air Force ordered a second Earth observation satellite from Innovative Solutions in Space (ISISpace) of the Netherlands, under a contract that includes the satellite's ground segment, satellite commissioning and training.

Airbus subsidiary UP42 unveils data, analytics platform
Airbus Defence and Space subsidiary UP42 unveiled Sept. 17 a commercial data and analytics platform that offers access to satellite imagery, other geospatial datasets and algorithms.

Earth observation companies plan new satellites and seek new customers
As operators of Earth observation satellites prepare to update their fleets, with an emphasis on both improved resolution and revisit time, they disagree on how much demand there is for existing and new data.

Iceye releases stereo images from satellites launched in July
Iceye released the first images Sept. 12 from its new synthetic aperture radar satellites launched in July and began offering commercial access to its three-satellite constellation.

Maxar oceanographic data fuels SiriusXM Fish Mapper
Maxar Technologies will provide the oceanographic data and saltwater fishing recommendations for SiriusXM’s new Fish Mapping service announced Sept. 9 and available on Garmin International’s GXM 54 satellite weather receiver.

ESA Earth Observation Φ-week
The European Space Agency (ESA) is organising a Φ-week event, 9-13 September 2019, focusing on EO Open Science and FutureEO – to review the latest developments in Open Science trends.
Come and hear about the latest trends in EO! The …

PhiWeek Bootcamp 2019
Do you think you have what it takes to solve a big industry challenge using earth observation data? Apply now to join an intensive 5-day action-packed design sprint to prototype a solution, test it on real users and present to a jury.
From …