There seems to be a new startup in the Earth observation (EO) satellite sector every couple of months. Many of them rely on very small footprint satellites, typically Cubesats or nanosatellites, to dramatically reduce costs compared to traditional large EO satellites like Digital Globe's Worldview-3, for example. Two of the startups use the International Space Station (ISS) as an Earth observation platform. None of the the EO applications is able to compete with the sub-50 cm spatial resolution of Worldview-3, but several have better temporal resolution than existing EO satellites whose revisit times are on the order of a day.
Cubesats
Over the past few weeks 33 CubeSats were deployed from the International Space Station into low Earth orbit between 100 and 1,240 miles high. NASA's NanoRacks Smallsat Deployment Program provides commercial access to space, via the space station, for CubeSats to perform Earth and deep space observation.
One of the new CubeSats deploying through the NanoRacks program is SkyCube, developed by Southern Stars Group LLC of San Francisco. SkyCube is the first CubeSat to use a smartphone application to track SkyCube, provide updates on its mission and tweet messages from the public. ArduSat-2, built and operated by NanoSatisfi of San Francisco, will help determine potential commercial applications for small satellite data collection and commercial, off-the-shelf electronics. A goal of the ArduSat-2 mission is to help lower the cost of space applications that use low-Earth observation techniques. Both ArduSat-2 and SkyCube used crowdsourcing methods for funding (crowdfunding).
The next Cygnus spacecraft resupply mission to the ISS, scheduled for May 1, is fully booked with CubeSats developed through the NanoRacks program.
Temporal geospatial (4D)
28 Dove Cubesat satellites each weighing about 5 kilograms of Planet Labs' Flock 1 constellation began deploying in early February from the ISS. .Planet Labs, San Francisco, California provides medium-resolution (3- to 5-meter) “whole Earth” imaging with high frequency revisits. The constellation is designed to provide low spatial resolution and high temporal resolution. In addition to the just released 28 satellites (Flock 1) from the ISS, next year an additional 72 satellites are scheduled to be launched. The total constellation will be comprised of 100 Cubesat satellites . Up to 10 % of the satellites can fail without affecting the capability of the whole constellation.
Skybox Imaging, Mountain View, California provides high spatial- and temporal-resolution Earth imaging including high-definition video. Skybox plans to launch a 24-satellite constellation within the next five years. These satellites weigh hundreds of kilograms. SkySat-1, which was launched in November 2013, is capable of high spatial resolution of 0.9-meter-per-pixel. The full constellation will be able revisit any spot on Earth up to four times daily.UrtheCast, Vancouver, B.C., Canada provides 24/7 high-definition video of Earth for monitoring the environment, humanitarian relief, social events, and agricultural land. Urthecast has installed two high-definition video cameras with 1-meter and 6-meter resolution on the Russian section of the ISS. The cameras passed their first tests in mid-February. Because they are on the ISS the UrtheCast cameras have a constant ground link on the ISS, enabling real-time control.
Teledyne Brown Engineering, Huntsville, Alabama provides Earth observation imaging from the International Space Station. Teledyne is building an Earth observation camera platform for the ISS for up to four digital-imaging instruments. The first is a visible-through-near-infrared spectrometer for applications like fire detection, change detection, monitoring sea lanes, and atmospheric research. The platform is scheduled to launch in mid-2015, and the first camera in late 2015.
Weather monitoring
According to the GAO some of the United States' satellite systems for weather observations and forecasts are nearing the end of their expected life spans. The US weather satellite systems include
- polar-orbiting satellites that provide global coverage every morning and afternoon
- geostationary satellites (GOES) that maintain a fixed view of the United States.
Both types of systems are critical to weather forecasters, climatologists, and the military to map and monitor changes in weather, climate, the oceans, and the environment. There is a substantial risk of a gap of 17 to 53 months or more in polar satellite data between the time that one of the current polar satellite is expected to reach the end of its life and the time when the next satellite is expected to be in orbit and operational. This means that the U.S. would have to rely on just one polar-orbiting satellite, rather than the two that are currently in service. There is also a risk of an additional gap if the Department of Defense’s next satellites do not work as intended. According to NOAA, a satellite data gap would result in less accurate and timely weather forecasts and warnings of extreme events, such as hurricanes, storm surges and floods. Two startups are planning to provide a commercial alternative to fill these gaps.
PlanetiQ, Bethesda, Maryland provides atmospheric imaging for weather forecasts, climate modeling, and space weather prediction. PlanetIQ plans to launch a constellation of 12 to 24 small satellites. The network could help fill a gap in U.S. weather-data collecting, and it would be cheaper to build and operate than the government’s own satellite-based weather systems.
GeoOptics, Pasadena, California is an environmental data company that plans to deliver information about the Earth to users in near real time. Applications will include operational daily weather forecasting and long-term environmental monitoring and research. GeoOptics plans to launch a 24-satellite constellation beginning in 2015 and ending in 2018. It is designed to outsource Earth imaging for government agencies including weather-related at very low cost.
Custom satellite systems
Dauria Aerospace, Munich, Germany provides custom-built small, low-cost Earth-observation, communication, and navigation satellites. This is a joint German-Russian-U.S. start-up that designs and builds satellites for government and corporate customers, including NASA, the European Space Agency, and the Russian space agency, Roscosmos. It also plans to launch four of its own satellites, two this year and two more between 2015 and 2017.
Tyvak Nano-Satellite Systems, Irvine, California provides custom CubeSat–based nanosatellites as well as CubeSat components for government customers and others. Tyvak will build the satellite, launch spacecraft and arrange for the launch and will and operate the satellite. It will download and transfer the sensor data from the satellite to the customer. Currently it is working on NASA-funded experimental spacecraft called the Proximity Operations Nanosatellite Flight Demonstration, which will provide satellite rendezvous and docking for a Mars or asteroid sample return mission. They are scheduled to launch in 2015.
NovaWurks, Los Alamitos, California provides small modular spacecraft, called Hyper-Integrated Satlets or HISats, that can be reconfigured for any payload or mission. Novawurks' first project is for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s (DARPA) Phoenix program to build HISats that will attach themselves to satellites that have stopped functioning and enable them to come back on-line. Novaworks also plans to launch and operate its own HISats for space-based imaging and greenhouse gas emissions measurements.
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