Earth observation
NASA awards Planet $6.7 million for climate campaign
NASA awarded Planet a $6.7 million contract to provide Earth imagery for climate research.
Op-ed | Is hyperspectral the next Earth observation frontier?
A key premise behind new solutions is the opening of the Earth observation market to more end users across further sectors; the idea of more customers paying for lower-cost solutions that are increasingly responsive to their needs targets an opening up of the business-to-business market.
Lawmakers urge FCC to postpone March 14 spectrum auction
Leaders of the House Science Committee and three House Appropriations subcommittees are calling on the FCC to delay the auction of 5G radio frequency spectrum scheduled for March 14 due to concern about interference with space-based weather sensors.
Audacy and Iceye explore cooperation
Audacy, a space communications startup, announced a memorandum of understanding March 11 with Iceye, a Finnish radar satellite startup, to explore how Audacy’s planned inter-satellite data relay network can support Iceye’s planned constellation.
Canada’s long-awaited space strategy emphasizes AI, EO and deep-space robotics
The Canadian government will also try to cut the regulatory red tape the space industry has complained has hindered projects from moving forward.
Iceye expands staff to prepare for constellation
Iceye, the Earth observation startup based in Helsinki, has hired two vice presidents to help customers gain access to imagery from its planned constellation of Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellites.
Triage reveals urgent military space jobs
U.S. combatant commanders urgently need to solve pressing problems in Earth observation, missile warning and position, navigation and timing, said Chuck Finley, former technical director of the Operational Responsive Space and its successor the Air Force Space Rapid Capabilities.
Bluefield adds customers for methane detection
Bluefield Technologies is signing up additional customers in the wake of a recent aerial demonstration of its optical sensors to detect methane leaks.
Hurricane satellites reveal flooding
Satellites launched in 2016 to track ocean winds offer valuable information on soil moisture and flooding.
Forecasts call for rapid growth in Earth observation market
Two consulting firms anticipate strong demand for commercial Earth observation products and services in the next decade as satellite constellations offer an increasing array of optical, radar, hyperspectral and video imagery and data.
Axelspace raises $22.8 million for remote-sensing constellation
In an interview, Axelspace Chief Business Development Officer Yasunori Yamazaki, said the funding will enable the company of 65 people to continue building a constellation called AxelGlobe, though the company hasn’t decided on a final size for the constellation.
LEO startup raises $39.5 million for constellation to watch Earth and space
The round brings NorthStar E&S’s total funding to 83 million Canadian dollars and ends a funding drought from when the company announced its plans three years ago.
Commercial EO innovation challenges snail-pace government timescales
Leaps in capabilities of commercial constellations of small Earth-observation satellites and the decreasing cost of their services were at the center of a debate about the future of publicly funded Earth-observation missions after Spire CEO Peter Platzer introduced the company’s ambition to become “the Amazon” of space.
ESA targets 2021 for Space Rider demo flight
The European Space Agency expects to carry out the qualification flight of the Space Rider spaceplane in 2021 followed by multiple demonstration missions before handing over the program to industry, according to Lucia Linares, head of ESA space transportation strategy and policy.
ESA preps Earth observation satellite with onboard AI processor
The European Space Agency plans to launch an Earth observation satellite equipped with an artificially intelligent processor that would enable the spacecraft to make decisions regarding what to image and which data to send to the ground.
Space agencies welcome new entrants developing satellites for tracking greenhouse gases
As a growing number of organizations propose satellites to monitor greenhouse gases, national space agencies who already operate such spacecraft welcome those new entrants — as long as they’re willing to share their results.
