Esper Satellite Imagery pens deal with Aussie-Indo Satellite Company to launch a hyperspectral satellite in October 2023
Adelaide, 8th of May: On the eve of the 15th Australian Space Forum, Esper Satellite Imagery is glad to announce that we’re partnering with Akula Tech, a defence and space company, to launch their satellite flying Esper’s hyperspectral payload.
The deal includes the launch of a small satellite with space-heritage, hosting Esper’s hyperspectral sensor as the primary payload and will be launched in October of 2023. This satellite will be providing imagery in the visual to near infrared region covering 100 bands at a very high spatial resolution.
“We’re very excited to be working with the team at Akula and their partners who are demonstrating a very high level of proficiency in manifesting this launch in a record time” said Shoaib Iqbal, CEO of Esper Satellite Imagery. “The launch of this satellite will dethrone any other claims of the highest-resolution hyperspectral imagery ever captured as this will be flying a very advanced system which is the first of its kind”.
The launch is a part of Esper’s Over The Rainbow (OTR) pathfinder missions and is dubbed OTR-2. OTR-2 will see the launch of capabilities from other Australian companies including Spiral Blue, whose Edge Computing platform is powering Esper’s sensor as a payload computer, as well as Akula’s own in-house built technology.
“We are excited for our first mission with Esper Satellite Imagery, providing them access to space in a remarkable timeline” - Preetham Akula, CEO of Akula Tech.
About Esper Satellite Imagery
Esper, founded in 2019, is a Melbourne-based startup building space-based hyperspectral sensors for earth observation to track climate metrics such as carbon emissions and carbon sinks for Oil and Gas, Agriculture, Mining and many other industries utilising their proprietary sensor technology. Esper, with a mission to track 5B tons of carbon emissions annually, will launch their first pair of sensors in October of 2023. Dubbed as 'Over The Rainbow' mission, it will be followed by a larger sensor network of 18 sensors in orbit. You can read more about Esper here.
About Akula Tech
Akula Tech Pty Ltd is an emerging startup that is dedicated to harnessing the potential of the space industry. Founded in 2022, the company is focused on providing seamless access to space and space capabilities through its cutting edge satellite bus systems and strategic space launch partnerships. Akula Tech’s vision to empower the Australian Space Industry and drive innovation, begins with the launch of Esper’s Hyperspectral sensor on-board their first mission with Indian Partners in October 2023. This represents a major milestone for our company and underscores our commitment to delivering high-quality space solutions that meet the needs of our clients and partners. Learn more about Akula Tech’s expertise and capabilities here