01 May 24. US Space acquisitions chief wants more authority to blacklist contractors. The Space Force’s top acquisition official wants authority to effectively blacklist underperforming defense contractors — an ability that now resides with the military official who leads the service’s purchasing field command.
The Fiscal 2018 National Defense Authorization Act mandated the creation of a Contractor Responsibility Watch List designed to allow Space Systems Command to hold companies accountable for poor performance and cost overruns. Contracting officials are barred from awarding new contracts or extending options on existing deals with a firm placed on the list.
Frank Calvelli, assistant secretary of the Air Force for space acquisition and integration, told lawmakers that while the tool is helpful, he’d like to see it expanded.
“It’s been useful. I think it can be more useful,” he said during a House Armed Services Strategic Forces Subcommittee hearing on May 1. “I would love to see the tool expanded and [authority given] to me as the service acquisition executive.”
Space Systems Command has never confirmed use of the CRWL. Asked by C4ISRNET in February whether the service has placed contractors on the list, Calvelli declined to comment.
He has, however, promoted the use of the tool by acquisition officers. In an October 2022 memo, issued shortly after Calvelli took office, he listed contractor accountability as a key tenet for running successful space acquisition programs.
“Take corrective action and consider all tools available for poor performers, including loss of fee, use of the Contractor Responsibility Watch List and, if necessary, stopping a program,” he wrote. “Industry works for you, so be a demanding customer.”
Acquisition reform is a major focus for Calvelli, who has on many occasions challenged the Space Force to move faster to develop and acquire systems and called out “long-standing, troubled programs” that are years behind schedule.
Programs he’s targeted include the Next-Generation Operational Control Segment, or OCX, an in-demand ground system designed to operate modern GPS satellites; the Advanced Tracking and Launch Analysis System, dubbed ATLAS, a key space command-and-control system; and the Military GPS User Equipment program, MGUE, which is developing cards that enable anti-jam capabilities for GPS receivers.
Despite pressure from Calvelli to complete development on the efforts by the end of 2023, none of the programs met his delivery target. (Source: Defense News Early Bird/C4ISR & Networks)
02 May 24. Ariane 6 to launch second-gen Galileo satellites from 2026. The new Ariane 6 rocket will launch the initial batch of Galileo Second Generation (G2G) navigation satellites into orbit in 2026 and 2027, Arianespace announced on 29 April. A total of four G2G satellites will be sent into orbit on Ariane 6 over two separate launches in 2026 and 2027. Airbus Defence and Space and Thales Alenia Space are each building six satellites, which together form the first fleet of G2G satellites, the company detailed. The G2G satellites will use electric propulsion and host a more powerful navigation antenna as well as improved atomic clocks and fully digital payloads compared with the first-generation Galileo satellites. Each spacecraft will weigh 2,000 kg, orbiting at an altitude of 23,222 km (medium Earth orbit).
30 Apr 24. Unseenlabs Announces Next-Generation Satellite Constellation for 2026 to Monitor Sea, Land, and Space Environments from Space. Unseenlabs, a pioneer and global leader in radio frequency (RF) intelligence from space, is set to redefine global surveillance standards once again with the scheduled launch of a new satellite constellation in 2026. Founded in 2015 by a group of visionary entrepreneurs and headquartered in Europe (France), Unseenlabs has consistently led the way in technological innovation in space-based RF detection.
Since 2019, Unseenlabs operates a cutting-edge satellite constellation specifically designed for maritime surveillance. This constellation has dramatically improved the detection, tracking, and characterization of maritime activities, leveraging a fleet of thirteen monosatellites, with four additional units slated for launch in 2024. These satellites have been pivotal in providing critical intelligence to combat illegal fishing, piracy, and other maritime threats, effectively covering vast areas at sea.
Building on this success, Unseenlabs is expanding its surveillance capabilities to include terrestrial and space environments in addition to maritime with its upcoming constellation. This new fleet, comprising advanced 150-kilo satellites, is tailored to monitor a wider range of emissions across all domains, enhancing global security and compliance capabilities.
Reflecting on the expansion, Clément Galic, CEO & Cofounder of Unseenlabs, stated: “The launch of our next-generation satellite constellation marks a pivotal moment in our journey. This expansion into terrestrial and space surveillance embodies our commitment to pioneering comprehensive global monitoring solutions. We are not just extending our reach; we are setting new standards for the industry.”
Unseenlabs’ unique and patented RF monosatellite technology sets it apart from traditional tri-satellite systems used by competitors. Its innovative approach allows a single satellite to perform RF intelligence collections independently, providing a resilient, cost-effective solution with significant operational savings. This technological edge ensures persistent, global coverage and continuous operation under any weather conditions, 24/7.
Jonathan Galic, Unseenlabs’ CTO and Cofounder, elaborated on the technical advancements, saying: “Our new constellation will leverage cutting-edge monosatellite technology to deliver unparalleled accuracy and flexibility across multiple domains. With this next-generation capability, we will monitor and analyze RF emissions more efficiently than ever, ensuring swift and precise intelligence delivery in near real-time conditions.”
The 2026 constellation will capitalize on Unseenlabs’ proven monosatellite technology, extending its surveillance reach to include land and space, in addition to maritime. This expansion is designed to meet evolving global security needs, offering unprecedented coverage and detection capabilities of many more multidomain targets. On land, the constellation will track crucial emissions from devices such as satellite phones and jammers, while also enhancing existing maritime surveillance prowess.
The effectiveness of Unseenlabs’ current constellation in maritime surveillance has demonstrated its capability to significantly reduce illegal activities and economic losses, particularly in the fishing industry, which suffers an estimated $36(Source: Janes)
bn annually due to illegal operations. Unseenlabs’ technology’s unique RF fingerprinting ability enables accurate identification and tracking of vessels, providing vital Intelligence for enforcement and conservation efforts. Unseenlabs also serves a wide array of private sector stakeholders. These include insurers requiring accurate intelligence for risk assessment and claim management, shipowners in need of dependable vessel tracking, and companies in the oil & gas and offshore industries seeking advanced monitoring and security solutions.
With the introduction of its new constellation, Unseenlabs will continue to offer unmatched surveillance intelligence capabilities, interoperability with other Earth observation systems, and rapid delivery of mission-critical intelligence with sub-kilometer accuracy. Its solutions are designed for both current needs and future challenges, ensuring that Unseenlabs remains the leader in RF detection from space. (Source: BUSINESS WIRE)
30 Apr 24. Millennium wins ‘FOO Fighter’ contract for SDA missile tracking. The Space Development Agency chose Millennium Space Systems to develop eight satellites as part of its FOO Fighter demonstration effort. (Millennium Space Systems)
The Space Development Agency selected Millennium Space Systems to build eight satellites carrying advanced missile tracking sensors, part of an experiment aimed at improving SDA’s ability to target threats from space.
The company, a Boeing subsidiary, received a $414 m contract for the Fire Control On-Orbit Support to the Warfighter, or FOO Fighter, program. SDA plans to launch the satellites in the fall or winter of 2026.
“The FOO Fighter program will provide an operational demonstration of fire control efforts separate from, but complementary to, our missile warning/missile tracking and missile defense efforts already underway in the tranches,” SDA Director Derek Tournear said in an April 30 statement.
SDA was established in 2019 to quickly field a constellation of hundreds of data transport and missile tracking satellites in low Earth orbit, about 1,200 miles above the Earth’s atmosphere. The agency’s plan is to field those spacecraft in tranches, adding more capabilities every two years.
The organization launched its Tranche 0 satellites last year, and the fire control capabilities these eight FOO Fighter satellites will demonstrate are targeted for the third and fourth tranches. The spacecraft — equipped with electro-optical infrared sensors — will showcase the ability to send precise targeting information to missile defense interceptors.
“[Foo Fighter] accelerates the U.S. government’s ability to provide fire-control in support of global detection, warning and precision tracking of advanced threats, including hypersonic missile systems,” Millennium said in a statement. “It will demonstrate advanced missile defense capability by incorporating fire control-quality sensors into a prototype constellation.”
Northrop Grumman, SpaceX and Sierra Space have received contracts for the agency’s first three tranches of missile tracking satellites, but this award is Millennium’s first in support of SDA’s proliferated satellite architecture.
The company, whose focus is on quickly developing small satellites, has been a player in a separate Space Force effort to put a fleet of missile tracking satellites in medium Earth orbit, between 1,200 and 2,200 miles above planet.
Boeing said in a statement that the award positions Millennium as a key provider for future SDA capabilities and taps into the company’s military space heritage.
“The FOO Fighter program is a pathfinder in pushing the right mix of innovation, capability and pace for our most critical of customer requirements,” said Kay Sears, vice president of Boeing’s space, intelligence and weapon systems business. (Source: C4ISR & Networks)
10 Apr 24. Norway to receive maritime surveillance satellite data from Kongsberg. Norway’s Kongsberg Defence and Aerospace has announced that its subsidiary Kongsberg NanoAvionics will produce three satellites and launch them in 2025.
According to Kongsberg, the data will be used by the Norwegian Armed Forces and other government institutions involved in maritime security.
“These three satellites will greatly enhance the maritime surveillance capability in our areas of interest, improve situational awareness for various government institutions and strengthen maritime security in the High North,” stated Vice-Admiral Nils Andreas Stensønes, director of the Norwegian Intelligence Service.
Areas of use of the satellite data for Norway include coastal administration, customs and the directorate of fisheries.
Kongsberg announced that the three satellites would be equipped with Automatic Identification System receivers and detectors, delivered by Kongsberg Discovery.
The constellation, dubbed N3X, will be the first in a series of satellites that Kongsberg has planned to build and operate. The satellites will have excess capability outside Norwegian areas of interest that will be available for international users. (Source: Shephard)
16 Apr 24. Viasat opens new HQ and satellite control center in London. Satellite firm Viasat has launched a new global headquarters in London, UK.
The company last week officially launched its new office, at 50 Finsbury Square in London, as the combined offices of both Viasat and Inmarsat, the rival vendor it acquired last year.
Work began on the new 121,000 sq ft (11,240 sqm) eight-floor facility in February last year. The site includes new satellite, network, and cyber operations centers for the combined company.
When asked by DCD, Viasat said it operates a “small number” of on-site servers.
“For increased resilience and flexibility, the bulk of its data processing is managed offsite,” the company said. “For increased redundancy, we also operate a full backup center in the Netherlands.”
Jason Smith, president of global operations at Viasat and leader of the London office, said the office launch was “an important moment” for the company, and “underlines our commitment to the UK.”
UK minister for space, Andrew Griffith, added: “Viasat locating here in the UK is a testament to our country’s growing reputation as a global space hub where innovation can thrive and businesses flourish.”
“As satellite communications become increasingly central to our modern world, Viasat’s new center will play a pivotal role in expanding connectivity, whilst also providing high-quality careers and economic growth.”
While Viasat is historically a US-based company, Inmarsat has long been based in the UK and previously was located at 99 City Road near London’s Old Street, which also hosted the company’s satellite and network operations centers.
Inmarsat had been developing plans for the new space since 2019, with the lease at its former headquarters on Old Street Roundabout finishing this year.
While the new Finsbury satellite and network operations centers are now live, the old Inmarsat control center at Old Street is still running concurrently as a backup site for now. The company said the old control center will be fully shut down in a phased transition later this year.
Endurance Land is now planning on converting Inmarsat’s old office at 99 City into a 36-story office tower.
First announced in late 2021, Viasat’s $7.3 bn acquisition of Inmarsat closed in mid-2023.
The combined company has a fleet of 19 satellites in service, with an additional 10 spacecraft under construction and planned for launch within the next three years, operating across the Ka-, L-, and S-bands.
(Source: https://www.datacenterdynamics.com/Barry Joseph)
29 Apr 24. Airbus expands its Earth observation constellation with Pléiades Neo Next. Airbus has launched the Pléiades Neo Next programme to expand its very high resolution Earth observation constellation. This new programme will result in new satellite assets and capabilities, including enhanced native resolution. As a first step of Pléiades Neo Next, Airbus is developing a new satellite which will be launched in the next few years.
“The Pléiades Neo Next programme builds on the success of our existing Pléiades Neo constellation which serves government and commercial customers around the world,” said Karen Florschütz, Executive Vice President Connected Intelligence at Airbus Defence and Space. “This new programme will further enhance our standard of excellence in terms of quality, performance, and reliability to deliver images as well as geo-intelligence services and applications.”
The Pléiades Neo Next programme is funded, manufactured, and operated by Airbus Defence and Space, with the full image capacity available for a wide range of sectors including defence and intelligence, agriculture, environment, maritime, disaster response, mapping, location-based services, civil engineering, urban planning and utilities.
Users will continue to be able to directly task the Airbus satellites up to a few dozen minutes prior to the satellite over the area of interest. Images will be received through the customer’s Direct Receiving Stations (DRS) on the ground, or on the OneAtlas digital platform, swiftly after collection, allowing mission-critical applications.
Working together, the Pléiades Neo and Pléiades Neo Next satellites will offer a higher revisit anywhere on Earth, up to several times per day, along with the best spatial resolution and geolocation accuracy available in the market. In addition to enhanced native resolution, Pléiades Neo Next development will further improve the ground segment, the DRS and the OneAtlas platform, resulting in a higher capacity of imagery requests as well as optimising the time between request, capture and reception.
With Pléiades Neo Next, Airbus is reinforcing its Earth observation capabilities and services to remain at the forefront of geospatial technologies. The Airbus fleet includes both optical and radar satellite constellations ensuring complementarity services and applications, including various resolutions, all-weather and day and night capabilities. In parallel, Airbus is developing new capabilities based on stratospheric platforms
28 Apr 24. Baltic ministers have warned that GPS jamming blamed on Russia risks causing an air disaster after the interference with navigation signals forced two Finnish flights to turn around mid-journey. The foreign ministers of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania all warned separately at the weekend of the dangers of GPS jamming across the Baltic Sea region, which has increased in recent weeks. On Thursday and Friday, two Finnair flights from Helsinki to the Estonian city of Tartu were forced by the GPS jamming to turn around and return to Finland as they were unable to navigate safely to their planned destination. “If someone turns off your headlights while you’re driving at night, it gets dangerous. Things in the Baltic region near Russian borders are now getting too dangerous to ignore,” Gabrielius Landsbergis, Lithuania’s foreign minister, told the Financial Times. Margus Tsahkna, Estonia’s foreign minister, added: “We consider what is happening with GPS as part of Russia’s hostile activities, and we will definitely discuss it with our allies. “Such actions are a hybrid attack and are a threat to our people and security, and we will not tolerate them.” Tens of thousands of civilian flights have been affected by the GPS jamming in recent months, according to experts. The jamming, which affects all GPS users in the area when it is in operation, has also impeded signals used by boats in the Baltic Sea, leading to warnings from the Swedish navy about the safety of shipping. GPS jamming is easy to conduct with relatively cheap equipment, according to experts. No country has acknowledged being behind the interference with signals in the Baltics, but officials in the region said there was little doubt that Russia was behind the jamming both from its mainland and its exclave of Kaliningrad, nestled between Poland and Lithuania on the Baltic Sea. A senior official said one theory was that Russia was trying to protect Kaliningrad from potential attacks by Ukrainian drones. The Kremlin did not respond to a request for comment.
The UK confirmed in March that a government plane carrying defence secretary Grant Shapps had its GPS signal jammed near Kaliningrad while flying home from Poland. Dana Goward, a GPS expert, said: “The chance of an accident is rising.” Goward, who is president of the Resilient Navigation and Timing Foundation, an advocacy group for GPS users, added that while back-up systems were available, crews have had less training on these than on GPS: “When you take away GPS, aviation becomes less efficient and less safe.” However, Juho Sinkkonen, head of flight operations at Finnair, who has 22 years’ experience as a pilot, said that GPS interference had been increasing since 2022 and was “a nuisance with no imminent safety impact”. Most airports had equipment to allow planes to land without GPS, Sinkkonen added, but Tartu “is one of the few airports where the approach procedures require a GPS signal”. Baiba Braže, Latvia’s foreign minister, said: “We take these incidents seriously. Our relevant institutions are in touch with colleagues in other countries.” Experts say there are several different sources for the GPS jamming, with one seemingly based in Kaliningrad, another responsible for the disturbances in Estonia and Finland, and a separate source affecting the far north of Norway and Finland. Baltic officials are discussing the GPS jamming with allies, and are urging Russia to stop putting civilian aircraft at risk. Marko Mihkelson, head of the foreign affairs committee of Estonia’s parliament, said: “Allies should not look indifferently at Russia’s jamming of the GPS signal and thereby endangering international air traffic.” (Source: FT.com)
27 Apr 24. SpaceX launches Europe’s Galileo satellites the first time from U.S. and retires a record breaking Falcon 9 workhorse. SpaceX’s Falcon 9 launched the European Commission’s Galileo L12 mission to medium Earth orbit from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Saturday, April 27 at 8:34 p.m. ET.
SpaceX tied its rocket-reuse record on Saturday night (April 27) set earlier this month by a different Falcon 9 booster, on a launch of SpaceX’s Starlink internet satellites..
“Due to the additional performance required to deliver the payload to medium Earth orbit, this mission marks the 20th and final launch for this Falcon 9 first stage booster,” SpaceX wrote in the mission description.
SpaceX achieved other milestones with the launch of its Falcon 9 rocket from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center on Saturday. The weekend flight marked the first time that the European Commission’s Galileo satellites (similar to the United State’s Global Positioning System (GPS) satellites) launched onboard an American-made rocket and from U.S. soil.
The launch added to the Galileo constellation, Europe’s equivalent of the United States’ Global Positioning System (GPS). Twenty-eight Galileo satellites have launched to date, all of them on Russian-built Soyuz rockets or Europe’s Ariane 5.
However the Ariane 5 retired last summer without a new source and Europe had ended most of its space ties with Russia following the latter’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. As a result the European Space Agency contracted with SpaceX to launch up to four Galileo craft over two launches in 2024 making Saturday’s mission the first of two liftoffs.
Due to the additional performance required to deliver the payload to medium Earth orbit, this mission marks the 20th and final launch for this Falcon 9 first stage booster, which previously launched GPS III-3, Turksat 5A, Transporter-2, Intelsat G-33/G-34, Transporter-6, Intuitive Machines IM-1, and 13 Starlink missions. (Source: Satnews)
23 Apr 24. Rocket Lab’s New Zealand success deploys satellites to separate orbits 500km apart for KAIST and NASA. Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (Nasdaq: RKLB), a global leader in launch services and space systems, today deployed two satellites to two different orbits approximately 500km apart on its 47th Electron mission. The ‘Beginning Of The Swarm’ (B.T.S) mission lifted-off from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 in Mahia, New Zealand at 10:32 NZST on April 24th, 2024 with payloads for the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) and NASA. The primary payload, NEONSAT-1 by KAIST, was first deployed by Electron to a 520km circular Earth orbit before Electron deployed NASA’s Advanced Composite Solar Sail System to a higher circular orbit at 1,000km.
NEONSAT-1 will perform Earth-observation of the Korean Peninsula for KAIST, which will then pair the satellite’s data with artificial intelligence to monitor for natural disasters in the region. NEONSAT-1 is the first of 11 satellites for KAIST’s planned constellation to image the Korean Peninsula several times daily.
The second mission deployed today was NASA’s Advanced Composite Solar Sail System, which is a technology demonstration of new materials that use sunlight to propel a spacecraft. Much like a sailboat is powered by wind pushing against a sail, solar sails employ the pressure of sunlight for propulsion to move around. This mission plans to test how well new composite booms unfurl the sail from the spacecraft – which is about the size of a toaster – to an area about the size of a small apartment. Data from this mission will be used for designing future larger-scale composite solar sail systems for space weather early warning satellites, asteroid and other small body reconnaissance missions, and missions to observe the polar regions of the Sun.
The capability to deploy two satellites more than 500km apart on the same launch is enabled by Electron’s Kick Stage, a small stage with engine relight capability to enable last-mile delivery. After deploying NEONSAT-1, Electron’s Kick Stage completed multiple in-space burns of its Curie engine to raise its apogee and circularize its orbit before deploying the Advanced Composite Solar Sail System spacecraft. The Kick Stage then completed a [fourth] and final engine light to perform a deorbit maneuver that returned the stage closer to Earth to speed up its eventual deorbit, helping to reduce long term orbital debris.
Today’s successful mission was Rocket Lab’s fifth launch of 2024, continuing Electron’s streak as the United States’ second-most frequently launched rocket annually. Details of Rocket Lab’s next Electron mission will be announced shortly. (Source: Satnews)
20 Apr 24. ABI Research: Global connectivity demands rapid growth of the satIoT Market. The satellite Internet of Things (satIoT) market is transforming remarkably, driven by technological advancements and an ever-increasing demand for global connectivity. As the world becomes more interconnected, the limitations of terrestrial networks become apparent, particularly in remote and underserved regions.
This is where satIoT steps in, bridging the gap with its ability to provide widespread, reliable connectivity across the globe. Global technology intelligence firm ABI Research forecasts the market to surge past the $4bn mark by 2030, signaling significant growth potential in the market.
Technological advancements in IoT devices have made new use cases for satellite IoT emerge at an unprecedented rate, from precision agriculture to ocean monitoring and from connected mines to disaster prediction and response. While satellite IoT currently accounts for only a small portion of overall satellite connectivity revenue, it is growing positively with major players such as Inmarsat, Iridium, and ORBCOMM driving the market.
North America, particularly the United States, will be the dominant region for satIoT. North America’s position as a main region for this technology can be attributed to several key factors that make it a highly attractive growth opportunity of this technology.
The Asia-Pacific (APAC) region is projected to be the fastest-growing market due to several key factors, such as rapid urbanization and industrialization, increasing investments in space technology in China (G60 Starlink and China SatNet (Guowang) LEO mega-constellations), a booming agricultural sector, and rapid economic growth.
The standardized SATCOM technologies, multi-technology/orbit connectivity solutions, and SatIoT integration with terrestrial 5G networks (NTN) are the key trends with significant opportunities for innovation and growth in the market. Xu concludes, “With the ongoing expansion of the satellite IoT market, the potential of this technology for innovative use cases is limitless, and the diverse applications of satellite IoT will drive the overall market.”
These findings are from ABI Research’s Satellite Communications: IoT Deployments & Subscriptions market data report. This report is part of the company’s Satellite Communications research service, which includes research, market data, and analyst insights. Market Data spreadsheets comprise deep data, market share analysis, and highly segmented, service-specific forecasts to provide detailed insight into where opportunities lie.
“The rapid growth of the satellite IoT market is fueled by several factors, including the decreasing cost of satellite launches, advancements in satellite technology, such as LEO constellations, CubeSats, and Nanosatellites (smallsats), and increasing demand for untethered connectivity and remote asset management,” said Victor Xu, Satellite Communications Research Analyst at ABI Research. “North America’s leadership in the Satellite IoT market is attributable to its early adoption of space technologies, alongside the launch of major commercial space operators like SpaceX, Amazon Kuiper, and Globalstar driving down costs for satellite services. Furthermore, the region’s strong presence in key outdoor IoT industries such as agriculture and oil and gas, combined with a favorable regulatory environment, solidify its position. With the ongoing expansion of the satellite IoT market, the potential of this technology for innovative use cases is limitless, and the diverse applications of satellite IoT will drive the overall market.” (Source: Satnews)
21 Apr 24. KP Labs releases 1st hyperspectral images processed by AI on-board the Intuition-1 satellite. KP Labs announces the successful capture of the first hyperspectral images by the Intuition-1 satellite, which provides detailed observations of the equatorial region. This development and onboard data processing supported by AI highlights a significant advancement in Earth observation capabilities, enhancing data analysis for various scientific and commercial applications.
In the latest advancement of space technology, the focus has turned toward enhancing on-board data processing capabilities, a move that promises increased operational efficiency and a leap forward in space-based applications. The Intuition-1 satellite, launched in November 2023 aboard SpaceX Falcon 9, exemplifies this progress by seamlessly merging hyperspectral imaging with onboard AI for data processing. This represents a significant milestone in space technology, establishing a new standard for future missions.
Hyperspectral imaging is an advanced imaging technique that captures a wide array of light across hundreds of bands, far beyond the capacity of traditional imaging systems. Unlike standard RGB imagery that uses three wide bands (red, green, and blue), hyperspectral imaging collects information across the electromagnetic spectrum dividing it into a number of narrow spectral bands (Intuition-1’s sensor covers 192 bands), including wavelengths invisible to the human eye. This rich dataset provides a detailed ‘spectral signature’ of the materials in the image, allowing for the precise identification and analysis of various substances, vegetation types, minerals, and other materials on the Earth’s surface.
The application of hyperspectral imaging extends across numerous fields, offering significant benefits for environmental science, agriculture, forestry, mining, and oceanography, among others. For instance, in agriculture, hyperspectral images can help identify crop stress, optimize water use, and improve soil management. In environmental monitoring, this technology can detect ecosystem changes, track pollution, and assist in disaster management. The comprehensive data captured by hyperspectral imaging can also play a crucial role in mineral exploration by identifying specific mineral compositions over large areas, thus aiding in resource management and exploitation.
Intuition-1’s onboard data processing marks a significant shift, reducing the time and resources required for satellite image analysis. It filters and processes data in orbit, sending only essential information to Earth, thus streamlining bandwidth use and speeding up data delivery. This efficient method ensures quick access to crucial data for those on the ground.
“Using the Leopard Data Processing Unit (DPU) and leveraging machine learning algorithms, Intuition-1 can autonomously detect, classify, and analyze various surface phenomena, improving the accuracy and relevance of the data provided. This state-of-the-art system, designed to enhance the precision and relevance of gathered data, signifies a substantial advancement in AI-driven space technology. Leopard’s capacity to independently sift through vast amounts of data and identify key information has far-reaching implications for resource management, climate research, and sustainable development efforts. The development and successful deployment of Intuition-1, is an excellent accomplishment for KP Labs. The ability of Intuition-1 to autonomously process and analyze data while orbiting Earth is a game-changer. It demonstrates our dedication to precision and excellence in our field. Our journey from conception to launch was filled with challenges, learning opportunities, and moments of triumph. We met them with determination, and that’s why this project not only gave us great expertise but also strengthened our team. We believe that the innovations we’re currently working on will continue to revolutionize space technology and set new standards in the industry,” said Michal Zachara, COO at KP Labs. (Source: Satnews)
23 Apr 24. ST Engineering + EY sign MOU in space tech + geospatial analytics. ST Engineering’s EO and geospatial analysis business, ST Engineering Geo-Insights Pte. Ltd. (ST Engineering Geo-Insights), and EY Corporate Advisors Pte. Ltd. (EY) have signed an MOU in space technology and geospatial analytics that is aimed at tackling pressing environmental challenges.
Under the MOU, both parties will explore using geospatial data to co-develop sustainability roadmaps and form a joint sustainability product development working group to focus on five key areas, namely deforestation; water management and quality; compliance with Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures or Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures requirements; carbon accounting; as well as baselining environmental impacts.
Additionally, both parties will explore co-developing a geospatial platform, integrating ST Engineering Geo-Insights’ capabilities into EY’s existing infrastructure resilience services that focus on rail, roads, water utilities, pipelines and powerlines.
This initiative is underpinned by investments in innovation by both parties. EY has developed EY Space Tech, which combines satellite imagery and artificial intelligence (AI) to help deliver earth observation analysis and services to clients through the EY Space for Earth Platform, which is developed by a multi-disciplinary team of data scientists, technologists, and geospatial and product management professionals.
ST Engineering Geo-Insights offers analytics, information products and value-added services based on satellite imagery to address growing global demand for timely insights. It also possesses the capability to provide geospatial solutions that integrate optical and synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data, enabling a holistic view of the Earth’s surface. By combining optical imagery for high-resolution visual data with SAR data for all-weather and day-and-night imaging capabilities, ST Engineering Geo-Insights can deliver exceptional insights into diverse applications such as urban planning, disaster monitoring, maritime safety and security, environmental monitoring, as well as agricultural growth tracking.
Mr. Goh Ing Nam, General Manager of ST Engineering Geo-Insights, said, “In today’s interconnected world, geospatial analysis plays an increasingly vital role across various sectors and industries, spanning urban planning, disaster response to environmental conservation. Our strong expertise in harnessing earth observation data and conducting geospatial analysis enables us to provide valuable insights and solutions to drive positive change and foster a more sustainable future for generations to come. Our relationship with EY represents an alignment of strengths and resources, dedicated to making meaningful contributions towards a healthier planet.”
Mr. Liew Nam Soon, EY Asean Regional Managing Partner, also Singapore Country Managing Partner at Ernst & Young Solutions LLP, said, “We are excited to work with ST Engineering Geo-Insights and combine its technological capabilities with our deep business and domain knowledge across a wide breadth of industries, giving a unique view of the problems that governments and businesses face in the region. We are convinced that space tech can be a gamechanger for a better working world. With space tech and analytics, we can derive newfound insights to better understand our natural habitat, the built environment, patterns of human behavior or optimisation opportunities for critical infrastructure, and make smarter decisions to mitigate risks or unlock new opportunities and value for governments, businesses and the broader society.”
Space tech refers to the use of satellites, AI, and human intelligence to design, develop, produce, and use equipment and systems for creating technologies that are required to explore beyond low earth orbit. It combines the use of a wide range of supporting technologies and infrastructure including spacecraft, satellites, space stations and orbital launch vehicles.
Space technologies collaborates with 5G, enhanced satellite systems, 3D printing, big data, and quantum computing to improve and grow activities in space that could provide greater visibility over vast distances, time series data, and improved efficiency across various areas of applications.
Some areas that space tech applications can have direct impact on include:
- Sustainability (tackling climate change, tracking weather patterns, monitoring water quality and land erosion)
- Environment (monitoring wildlife crime, tracking animals, protecting the environment, monitoring life below water and deforestation)
- Social (responding to natural disasters, managing and preventing pandemics, tracking and predicting poverty, managing crimes, enabling space spinoffs)
- Agriculture (improving crop yield and enabling precision agriculture)
- Infrastructure and public transportation (supporting town maintenance support, monitoring structural health, enabling advanced communication systems and understanding traffic flow patterns) (Source: Satnews)