Tag: Earth observation
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India Launches EOS-05, Its First Geosynchronous Earth-Imaging Satellite (Video)
A GSLV Mark II rocket launched the EOS-05 Earth-imaging satellite toward geosynchronous orbit — something India has never done successfully — from Satish Dhawan Space Centre on Sept. 3, 2026 at 5:25 p.m. EDT (2:55 a.m. on Sept. 4 India Standard Time). Credit: ISRO India launched EOS-05, its first Earth observation satellite designed to image…
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Planet Posts Record $116 Million Quarter as Sovereign Satellite Services Accelerate Growth
Planet Labs reported record quarterly revenue of $116.1 million for the second quarter of fiscal 2027, as the handover of a reconnaissance satellite to the Swedish Armed Forces and expanding defense demand lifted revenue 58% year over year. The Earth observation company announced the results on September 3 for the three months ended July 31,…
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China Achieves Centimeter-Level 3D Imaging With Compact, Low-Power Remote-Sensing System
Chinese researchers have developed a compact remote-sensing system capable of centimeter-level, high-resolution three-dimensional imaging while operating under tight size and power constraints, addressing a persistent payload-design challenge for satellites, unmanned aerial vehicles and autonomous machines. China’s State Administration for Market Regulation disclosed the achievement on September 2. The research was led by the administration’s Key…
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Data No Longer Has to “Travel Back and Forth”: Chinese Team Achieves First Real-Time Hyperspectral Camera Analysis
A research team from Beijing Institute of Technology (BIT) has developed an integrated hyperspectral imaging system capable of real-time analysis at the edge, overcoming a long-standing bottleneck in hyperspectral applications caused by massive data processing requirements. The breakthrough, led by academician Zhang Jun’s team at BIT, introduces a new on-chip spectral computing architecture that moves…
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Rocket Lab Deploys Synspective Radar Satellite on 85th Electron Mission (Video)
A Rocket Lab Electron rocket launched a Strix satellite for Synspective, a Tokyo-based Earth-imaging company on Sept. 2, 2026 from New Zealand. Credit: Rocket Lab Rocket Lab launched another synthetic aperture radar satellite for Japanese Earth-observation company Synspective on September 2, extending a dedicated launch campaign supporting the expansion of the Strix constellation. The Electron…
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Chang Guang Satellite Unveils Results from World’s Largest Stereo Mapping Satellite Cluster
Commercial space is entering a new phase of large-scale development, with the number of satellites in orbit continuing to rise and applications expanding into an increasingly diverse range of industries. Ultimately, however, the value of the industry is realized through data applications and services. Among these applications, 3D stereo mapping has become an important field…
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China Reports Largest Porphyry Copper-Gold Find in Middle-Lower Yangtze, Opening New Exploration Frontier
China has reported a major copper-gold exploration breakthrough in Anhui province, identifying what researchers describe as the largest porphyry copper-gold deposit yet found in the Middle-Lower Yangtze region and challenging conventional assumptions about where large porphyry systems can form. China’s Ministry of Natural Resources announced the latest exploration results on Sept. 1. The breakthrough centers…
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How Low Can Satellites Fly? New Opportunities in VLEO and the Companies Already Moving In
Very low Earth orbit, or VLEO, is not a new type of orbital geometry. It is simply the lower portion of low Earth orbit, where satellites fly closer to Earth and encounter a comparatively denser residual atmosphere. Commercial space companies are paying renewed attention to this regime for a straightforward reason: Earth observation satellites can…
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Lockheed Martin Ventures Backs Diffraqtion as Quantum Imaging Startup Tops $10 Million
Diffraqtion has secured strategic investments from Lockheed Martin Ventures and Presidio Ventures, the venture arm of Sumitomo Corporation, bringing the quantum imaging startup’s total funding to more than $10 million. Announced on August 31, 2026, the financing will support development of Diffraqtion’s first fielded camera and a planned hosted-payload mission intended to establish flight heritage.…
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Rocket Lab Targets Sept. 2 Launch for Synspective’s 11th StriX Radar Satellite
Rocket Lab is preparing to launch another synthetic aperture radar satellite for Japanese Earth observation company Synspective, extending one of the small-launch sector’s largest dedicated constellation deployment campaigns. The Electron rocket is scheduled to lift off from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 on New Zealand’s Mahia Peninsula during a window opening at 11:00 UTC on…