Indian satellite Pixel, a space technology startup, has successfully launched its first full commercial satellite, dubbed ‘Shakuntala’, using SpaceX’s Falcon-9 rocket, led by Elon Musk.
‘Shakuntala’, Pixxel’s first full satellite, hosts one of the highest resolution commercial hyperspectral cameras ever put into orbit, bringing the company one step closer to developing a 24×7 health monitor for the world, according to the company.
This launch, which took place Friday on SpaceX’s Transporter-4 mission from Cape Canaveral, Florida, brings the company closer to completing its ambitious goal of assembling one of the world’s most advanced constellations of low-Earth orbit imaging satellites.
“Life has come full circle for us,” said Awais Ahmed, CEO of Pixel, “from being one of the few finalists in the SpaceX Hyperloop Pod competition in 2017 to now launching our own satellites as part of the fourth dedicated mission. of shared rides of SpaceX”.
Shakuntala (TD-2) is a small satellite that can capture orbital images in more than 150 color bands of the visible and infrared spectrum with a resolution of 10 meters per pixel, well above the specificity of a 30-meter hyperspectral spacecraft. per pixel. launched by NASA, ESA and ISRO.
Shakuntala will begin collecting data and uncovering the invisible changes wreaking havoc on our globes, such as natural gas leaks, deforestation, melting polar caps, pollution, and poor crop health, just weeks after launch.
Pixel received $25 million in Series A funding from various investors, including Radical Ventures, Seraphim Space Capital, Relativity Space co-founder Jordan Noone, Lightspeed Partners, Blume Ventures, and Sparta LLC.
It paves the way for the launch of the first Pixxel commercial phase satellites in early 2023. Also, want to modify your Aadhaar card photo? See how to update a photo in a few easy steps.
The Pixxel hyperspectral constellation will be able to cover any place in the world every 48 hours, thanks to six satellites in a sun-synchronous orbit (SSO) at an altitude of about 550 kilometers. Also read: The Real Estate Association writes to CM Yogi, requesting an intervention to prevent builders from going bankrupt.
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Categories: Technology
Source: vtt.edu.vn