Finnish space technology company Kuva Space has entered into a memorandum of understanding with Japan’s IHI Corporation to assess the development of a sovereign hyperspectral satellite capability for Japan. Under the agreement, the companies will evaluate the use of Kuva Space’s hyperspectral satellite constellation, define technical requirements for a potential Japanese constellation, and examine options for building and operating the system, including domestic satellite manufacturing. Kuva Space develops hyperspectral Earth observation satellites and geospatial analytics, while IHI operates across aerospace, space and defense, among other industrial sectors. The partnership builds on a demonstration project launched in 2025 and focuses on applications such as maritime monitoring, environmental observation, agriculture, and security. The companies estimate that a constellation of around 20 satellites could provide daily coverage across Japan and surrounding regions, with the evaluation expected to continue through 2026.
Kuva Space is a Finnish space technology company developing hyperspectral Earth observation satellites and AI-powered geospatial analytics. Founded in 2016 and headquartered in Espoo, the company is building a microsatellite constellation designed to provide data for applications including environmental monitoring, agriculture, maritime surveillance, and defense.
IHI Corporation is a Japanese industrial manufacturer with operations spanning energy, infrastructure, industrial machinery, and aerospace. Through its aerospace and defense business, the company develops space systems and satellite components while expanding its activities in satellite-based data services and Earth observation technologies.
Under the agreement, the companies will evaluate Kuva Space’s constellation capacity, define requirements for a Japanese sovereign hyperspectral constellation, and explore business structures to build and operate that capability in Japan, including potential domestic satellite manufacturing.
The agreement comes amid a wider shift from individual satellite missions toward persistent, multi-sensor intelligence built with commercial providers. For IHI, the MoU will assess how hyperspectral sensing could be integrated at constellation scale into the sovereign Earth-observation system it is building for Japan, alongside optical, radar, infrared, radio-frequency and VDES (next generation of AIS) capabilities. By measuring the distinct spectral signatures of materials, hyperspectral satellites can reveal information and anomalies that conventional imagery may miss across land and sea.
The MoU builds on a demonstration phase running since November 2025, during which IHI has evaluated data and analytics from Kuva Space’s first-generation Hyperfield-1 satellites across defense and intelligence, agriculture, aquaculture and environmental monitoring. It also builds on IHI’s own hyperspectral work through its IHI-SAT2 demonstrator. Applications assessed include vessel detection, identification of vessels not broadcasting AIS signals, anomaly detection, and land-cover and land-use change mapping.
“Japan is building the foundation for a new generation of sovereign Earth observation,” said Jarkko Antila, CEO of Kuva Space. “By combining IHI’s multi-sensor strategy with Kuva Space’s constellation model, this MoU defines a route from demonstration to persistent hyperspectral intelligence.”
Kuva Space estimates a daily coverage requirement of approximately 20 million km² across Japan, neighboring countries and surrounding ocean areas, which the companies say could be met with the capacity of around 20 Hyperfield-2 satellites. At approximately 100 satellites, the wider constellation could provide subdaily monitoring capabilities across East Asia. Kuva Space plans to grow its constellation to approximately 100 satellites by the end of 2030.
Kuva Space’s second-generation Hyperfield-2 satellites, with first launches planned for 2027, are extending the spectral range into short-wave infrared and serve as the target platform for any future capacity procurement by IHI. Upcoming capabilities include vessel-spectra extraction for identification and tracking, camouflage and decoy detection, and material identification among many others.
Under Kuva Space’s satellite capacity-sharing model, IHI would receive coverage in proportion to the number of satellites it procures while benefiting from the revisit performance of the wider constellation. The companies expect the joint evaluation to continue through 2026, with any procurement decisions aligned with Hyperfield-2 production timelines from 2027.
“A secure and resilient space capability is increasingly important for Japan’s national security. Hyperspectral satellite data can provide insights that conventional imagery cannot, supporting both security and wider dual-use applications,” said Atsushi Sato, Representative Director and Senior Executive Officer, and President of Aero-Engine, Space & Defense Business Area, at IHI Corporation. “This MoU with Kuva Space is an important step in strengthening Japan’s access to hyperspectral intelligence through cooperation with a trusted partner.”
Read the orginal article: https://arcticstartup.com/kuva-space-partners-with-ihi/
