Google-backed Indian space tech startup Pixxel has launched three of its six hyperspectral imaging satellites, marking a significant milestone for the company and the country’s growing private space sector.
The satellites, part of the Firefly constellation, were launched on a SpaceX rocket from California at 1915 GMT (just after midnight in India) from the Vandenberg Space Force Base.
Why are these satellites ‘different’?
The satellites, called Fireflies, are currently the world’s highest-resolution commercial-grade hyperspectral satellites. They bring precision to monitor the planet and set “a new benchmark for hyperspectral imaging capabilities.”
The satellites have a 5-meter resolution—attained for the first time in a hyperspectral spacecraft—making Fireflies six times sharper than the 30-meter standard of most existing hyperspectral satellites. The company says this allows them to capture fine details that were previously invisible to conventional systems.
What will these satellites do?
Pixxel, a five-year-old startup backed by Google, uses hyperspectral imaging technology (which measures light across a wide range of wavelengths for each pixel in an image) to capture highly detailed data across hundreds of light bands.
This advanced technology has numerous applications across various sectors, including agriculture, mining, environmental monitoring, and defence.
By analyzing this data, industries can gain valuable insights, such as optimising crop yields in the agricultural sector, tracking resources effectively, and monitoring environmental concerns like oil spills with greater precision.
“This launch marks the first phase of Pixxel’s commercial constellation, with three additional Firefly satellites scheduled to launch in Q2 2025,” the company said.
“Together, these satellites will deliver comprehensive, real-time data collection and analysis, equipping industries and governments with insights to address global concerns, manage resources responsibly, and drive climate action,” it added.
Pixxel to expand the Firefly constellation.
Pixxel plans to expand its constellation, adding 18 more satellites to the six already launched. According to news agency Reuters, the company has secured approximately 65 clients, including major players like Rio Tinto, British Petroleum, and the Indian Ministry of Agriculture. Some clients are already paying for data from its demonstration satellites.
Apart from Google, which participated in a $36 million round of funding for the Bengaluru-based space tech startup in 2023, companies like Accenture and Canada’s Radical Ventures have also invested in Pixxel.
Google CEO Sundar Pichai said at the Google For India 2022 annual event that the company will invest $300 million in homegrown startups.
