Open Cosmos, Founded in 2015 and headquartered at the Harwell Space Campus in the UK, is transforming how Earth observation data is accessed and applied, offering end-to-end satellite mission services from design and build through to launch, operations and data delivery. With a firm focus on sustainability, its ESG principles guide efforts in reducing space debris, minimizing environmental impact and supporting a mutualised satellite infrastructure to lower entry barriers for nations, businesses and NGOs.
The company combines agile CubeSat and microsatellite platforms with integrated software solutions and a global data distribution network, empowering users to deploy actionable space insights rapidly and affordably. Open Cosmos stands out by blending small satellite manufacturing, advanced mission operations and cloud-based data services making space more accessible for a wider range of users.
Open Cosmos Satellite Missions
Open Cosmos has established itself as a leading force in delivering end-to-end satellite missions through its streamlined and highly efficient OpenOrbit five-step methodology. This proven approach spanning design, manufacture, launch, operations and data delivery enables rapid satellite deployment with industry-leading reliability rates of up to 99.7%. By removing traditional barriers to space, Open Cosmos allows governments, research institutions and commercial players to access designed space missions without complex, time-consuming processes.
Highlights include:
- Menut (2023): A 6U Earth observation nanosatellite launched via SpaceX’s Transporter-6 rideshare, which delivered its first infrared and multispectral imagery within weeks demonstrating efficient LEOP operations and fast commissioning. Menut began delivering high-resolution infrared and multispectral imagery, highlighting the effectiveness of Open Cosmos’ LEOP (Launch and Early Orbit Phase) operations and swift commissioning protocols. This fast turnaround demonstrated the robustness of the OpenOrbit approach, especially for environmental monitoring and agricultural insights.
- Phi-Sat-2 (2024): Built in collaboration with ESA and partners, this 6U CubeSat has onboard AI capabilities (via the NanoSat MO Framework) to process imagery in space enabling real-time cloud detection and maritime monitoring. This satellite integrates advanced onboard artificial intelligence (AI) through the NanoSat MO Framework. Phi-Sat-2 has AI capabilities enable real-time cloud detection, maritime activity monitoring and other edge-computed insights without needing ground-based processing representing a paradigm shift in intelligent satellite operations and in-orbit data analysis.
- MANTIS series satellites: Including imaging and AI payloads such as SWIR cameras and IoT relays, these 12U platforms are integrated into Open Constellation for diverse Earth observation applications. MANTIS satellites form an integral part of the Open Constellation a shared global infrastructure that enables data democratization and collective mission benefits across multiple stakeholders.
From compact imaging cubesats to intelligent, AI-integrated platforms, Open Cosmos continues to push the boundaries of low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite operations. With its rapid development cycles and commitment to high performance, the company is transforming how space infrastructure is built, accessed and utilized on a global scale.
OpenConstellation
Open Cosmos’ OpenConstellation is a pioneering, collaborative satellite infrastructure designed to democratize access to space-based Earth observation (EO) capabilities. With an initial fleet of six satellites launching in 2022, the constellation is expanding most recently with additions like ‘HAMMER’, a hyperspectral imaging satellite featuring onboard AI and inter-satellite links for near-real-time data delivery. The constellation model offers members reduced cost, priority tasking, increased revisit rates, and diverse spectral data supporting use cases from environmental monitoring to disaster response. A €60M ESA contract awarded in May 2024 supports a seven-satellite optical constellation for Greece, reinforcing Open Constellation’s role in national and regional Earth observation efforts. This innovative model allows governments, institutions and commercial entities to co-own, co-operate and co-benefit from a shared fleet of Earth observation satellites, drastically reducing the cost and complexity associated with deploying dedicated satellite systems.
Initially launched in 2022 with six operational satellites, OpenConstellation has continued to expand both in size and technological advancements. These capabilities mark a significant advancement in responsive remote sensing, allowing for faster decision-making in time-critical domains such as maritime surveillance, agriculture and emergency response. The shared constellation model is engineered for scalability and global coverage, offering members benefits such as frequent revisit times, priority tasking and secure access to a multi-user data platform. Open Constellation enables rapid integration of custom payloads ensuring adaptability to evolving stakeholder requirements. The initiative is central to Open Cosmos’ broader mission of making space data more accessible, actionable, and affordable particularly for regions and sectors historically underserved by traditional satellite solutions. Open Constellation continues to attract international partners looking for cost-efficient, high-performance EO capabilities, positioning Open Cosmos as a leader in collaborative space infrastructure development for the public and private sectors alike.
Data and Services
Open Cosmos places significant emphasis on the delivery of actionable insights through its digital service infrastructure. Underpinning its hardware missions is the DataCosmos platform, a cloud-based service for accessing and analyzing imagery from both proprietary and third-party sources. This platform offers tools for visualization, processing and integration, supporting environmental monitoring, agricultural intelligence, maritime surveillance and climate research. DataCosmos is designed to empower stakeholders in government, academia and industry with tools that support critical decision-making across diverse domains. For instance, the platform is actively used for environmental monitoring, enabling near-real-time tracking of deforestation, land use changes and water body variations. In agriculture, it provides insights into crop health, irrigation management and yield forecasting through multispectral and hyperspectral analysis. The platform also supports maritime surveillance, with applications ranging from vessel detection and illegal fishing monitoring to oil spill tracking. Furthermore, researchers and policymakers leverage DataCosmos in climate science, using EO datasets to track long-term trends in temperature, glacial retreat, and urban heat islands.
Open Cosmos is also advancing space-based communications and connectivity. A prime example is its involvement in advanced Internet of Things (IoT) and 6G research missions, which demonstrate the company’s ability to support observation and non-terrestrial networking (NTN). The upcoming 6GStarLab mission, developed in collaboration with Catalonia’s i2CAT Foundation, is a clear indicator of this evolution. Scheduled for launch in late 2025, the satellite will test multi-frequency communications and optical terminals in orbit to evaluate technologies critical to future 6G and NTN systems. As Open Cosmos continues to expand its data-centric services, the combination of orbital assets, AI-driven insights and interoperable tools positions the company as a key player in enabling the next generation of space-enabled applications.
Latest News and Updates
Open Cosmos has recently made significant strategic moves that underscore its evolution as a full-spectrum space infrastructure provider, further cementing its role in Earth observation, orbital services, and space situational awareness. The most notable developments is the acquisition of Connected, a specialized UK-based satellite operations company. This acquisition enhances Open Cosmos’ ground segment and mission operations capacity and also strengthens its European footprint, allowing for more autonomous, agile and integrated management of satellite missions. Open Cosmos has entered into a key partnership with Astroscale UK for the Orpheus mission, a £5.15 million project funded under the UK Space Agency’s Space Clutter initiative. This mission is dedicated to space situational awareness (SSA) and orbital debris detection, a field of growing urgency as low Earth orbit becomes increasingly congested. The Orpheus mission will demonstrate new in-orbit technologies designed to detect and monitor space debris, aligning with global efforts to ensure the long-term sustainability of space activities.
Another significant milestone is Open Cosmos’ receipt of launch contracts for ALISIO-1, an environmental monitoring satellite equipped with a shortwave infrared (SWIR) imager. The mission is backed by the UK Space Agency and ESA, marking a continuation of the company’s strong support from institutional stakeholders. ALISIO-1 will be instrumental in delivering high-resolution SWIR imagery that can detect vegetation stress, monitor wildfires, and assess land and water conditions capabilities that are increasingly valuable in the face of climate change and natural disasters. With a blend of acquisitions, institutional partnerships and mission expansions, Open Cosmos continues to evolve as a next-generation space company shaping the future of satellite-based infrastructure and services.
Open Cosmos is redefining access to satellite data, distinguishing itself through a unique blend of technological innovation, mission flexibility and collaborative vision. By pioneering scalable, rapid, and cost-efficient space missions, the company is actively reshaping how nations, industries, and research institutions access and utilize satellite-based data. At the core, the Open Constellation initiative a cooperative satellite infrastructure model that democratizes space access by allowing multiple stakeholders to contribute to and benefit from a shared, multi-mission satellite network. Open Cosmos is empowering end users through its integration of AI-powered data services and cloud platforms, such as DataCosmos. These tools enable rapid, actionable insights from Earth observation and IoT payloads, driving innovation across domains like environmental monitoring, disaster management and digital communications. The company has an expanding portfolio of national and institutional partnerships, including those with ESA, the UK Space Agency, and regional governments. Open Cosmos is continually aligning its growth with the pressing priorities of the planet and the space sector. The company has growing national and institutional partnerships underscore a commitment to driving space solutions that support climate, connectivity and data sovereignty.
