Earth observation

Engineering consultancy EECL, has signed a contract at Space-Comm Expo 2022 with Surrey Satellite Technology (SSTL), to supply low noise amplifiers (LNA) for the front-end receiver of the European Space Agency’s (ESA) HydroGNSS Scout Earth Observation payload, EECL said. 

Global professional services company Accenture, has made a strategic investment in Pixxel, an Earth imaging technology company, as part of Accenture Ventures’ Project Spotlight, the company said. Project Spotlight is an engagement and investment program aiming to fill strategic innovation gaps, and helping startups harness human creativity.

The Rockefeller Foundation launched a new US $5.5 million collaboration with e-GUIDE (Electricity Growth and Use In Developing Economies Initiative) and public benefit technology startup Atlas AI, to accelerate economic development and promote climate resilient infrastructure investment across sub-Saharan Africa, the Foundation said. 

Strategic space infrastructure developer Space Norway, has signed contracts with Surrey Satellite Technology and Oxford Space Systems, to build a radar satellite system, MicroSAR, optimized for maritime surveillance, capable of detecting relatively small vessels in a very large area, the company said.

In this Space Café Radio – SpaceWatch.Global Event coordinator and Space Café Young Global Talents Host Chiara Moenter spoke with Craig Donlon, principal scientist for oceans and ice at the European Space Agency (ESA), at the Living Planet Symposium in Bonn. This symposium is the world’s largest Earth Observation conference.

Information services and Earth observation company, Capella Space, unveiled new capabilities planned for its next generation “Acadia” technology satellites, to further extend its data offerings. The new satellites will expand Capella’s existing constellation to provide high quality imagery and fast order-to-delivery speeds. 

High-resolution methane monitoring company, GHGSat set a new record in going from launch to the production of emission related climate impact data in just a matter of days utilizing its three newest satellites. The satellites have identified over 100 methane emissions since May this year.

Khayyam, an Iranian satellite has been successfully launched into orbit aboard a Russian Soyuz rocket from the Baikonur launch facility in Kazakhstan along with 16 smaller Russian satellites. The Russian-built Kanopus-V Earth-observation satellite is named after Omar Khayyam, a Persian mathematician, astronomer, philosopher, and poet.

International private equity firm, Antarctica Capital (Antarctica), acquired a controlling interest in geospatial intelligence company, Descartes Labs, providing solutions for commercial and government clients. Antarctica's portfolio comprises companies such as New Space, Data Analytics and Digital Infrastructure.

Space-based data, analytics, and space services provider, Spire Global, will host a second Earth-imaging payload, Hancom-2 satellite, for South Korean space services company, Hancom InSpace as part of expanding its East Asian operations. Hancom is the first South Korean private company to operate a commercial satellite mission