Finnish startups Kuva Space and ICEYE are making strides in space technology with recent satellite launches. Kuva Space successfully deployed its first hyperspectral microsatellite, Hyperfield-1, aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9, marking the start of a planned constellation to provide near real-time global data for climate monitoring and food security. Meanwhile, ICEYE launched four new synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellites, further expanding its world-leading SAR constellation, which offers precise Earth Observation insights in any condition. Both companies are at the forefront of using spaceborne technologies to address global challenges like climate change and disaster response.
Kuva Space, a leading provider of hyperspectral microsatellites and AI-powered insights, has successfully launched its first commercial microsatellite, Hyperfield-1, aboard SpaceX’s Falcon 9 from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. This mission marks the beginning of Kuva Space’s ambitious plan to deploy up to 100 satellites by 2030, aiming to provide near real-time global hyperspectral data for monitoring climate change, food security, and situational awareness.
“Hyperfield-1 launch is a critical milestone for the Kuva Space’s mission. The immense learning the team garnered in the past two years, both on satellite and AI-powered processing pipeline and customer needs, is giving us a firm foundation to build world-class services,” says Jarkko Antila, CEO of Kuva Space. “When the Hyperfield-1 satellite commissioning period ends, we will open early access to a selected group of customers to test, validate, and co-create domain-specific services. Our early access program will help customers learn firsthand how novel hyperspectral insights can make their business more climate resilient.”
Hyperfield-1 is the first satellite in Kuva Space’s planned constellation, equipped with a patented hyperspectral camera designed to capture Earth’s material conditions through distinct spectral signatures. The company’s AI-powered analytics platform processes this data to offer decision-ready insights within 15 minutes, revolutionizing sectors such as agriculture, aquaculture, and environmental monitoring.
“Our AI-powered service production process is put to test for the first time with our proprietary hyperspectral data with the launch of Hyperfield-1. This complex process spans tailored data acquisition, in-orbit data pre-processing, and on-ground processing to produce hypercubes, which will then be automatically translated into industry-specific insights. We anticipate fine-tuning the end-to-end process as we gather more data and learnings during this year,” states Tuomas Tikka, CTO of Kuva Space.
In parallel, ICEYE, a global leader in synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite operations, launched four new SAR satellites on August 16, 2024, further expanding the world’s largest SAR constellation. These satellites, which were integrated via Exolaunch, serve both commercial and dedicated customer missions, including the first ICEYE satellite launch for Bayanat, an AI-powered geospatial solutions provider, and Yahsat, the UAE’s flagship satellite solutions provider.
“With frequent and steady deployment of new satellites into the ICEYE constellation, we are making progress towards our vision of improving life on Earth by becoming the global source of truth in Earth Observation. The powerful and capable satellite constellation ensures fulfilling our commitments to working as a trusted partner with a growing number of governments and commercial industries to deliver timely, accurate, and actionable insights for faster and better decision-making. We are proud to launch the first ICEYE satellite for our customer Bayanat and Yahsat and look forward to continued successful cooperation on their missions”, said Rafal Modrzewski, CEO and Co-Founder of ICEYE.
ICEYE’s advanced SAR technology provides precise insights for government and commercial customers, even in challenging environmental conditions. The company plans to launch up to 13 new satellites in 2024, further solidifying its position as a global leader in Earth Observation.
“We are pleased to add more next generation, U.S.-manufactured satellite capacity to the constellation. This further strengthens our capabilities to serve our customers with actionable data and insights”, said Eric Jensen, CEO of ICEYE US.
As Finnish startups Kuva Space and ICEYE continue to expand their satellite constellations, they are driving innovation in space technology and providing crucial insights that can help address some of the world’s most pressing challenges, from climate change to natural disaster response.
These developments highlight Finland’s growing influence in the global space industry, with its tech-driven startups leading the charge in delivering cutting-edge solutions that can transform industries and improve life on Earth.
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Read the orginal article: https://arcticstartup.com/kuva-space-and-iceye-deploy-new-satellites-via-spacex-falcon-9/
