SpaceX launches Earth observer from ‘Bloomberg of planetary insights’

Finland’s first-ever commercial hyperspectral satellite has successfully launched into space.

The satellite — named Hyperfield-1 — is the brainchild of Finnish startup Kuva Space.

Kuva equipped the spacecraft with a hyperspectral camera, which captures detailed data on wavelengths of light.

When materials on Earth absorb these wavelengths, they produce “spectral fingerprints.” The hyperspectral camera will record these fingerprints, which Kuva will analyse with machine learning. The company will then provide tailored insights to customers.

Kuva is targeting a diverse user base. Farmers could monitor their crops in minute detail. Defence ministries could surveil the seas. Industrial sites could detect chemical leaks. Scientists could forecast the progression of climate change.

“We want our services to strongly contribute to improving life on Earth,” Antila told TNW.

Kuva plans to rapidly expand these services. By 2030, the company aims to deploy a constellation of 100 satellites.

Jarkko Antila, the startup’s CEO, has grand ambitions for the fleet. He wants Kuva to become “the Bloomberg of planetary insights.”

Launch plans

Hyperfield-1 launched on Friday aboard a SpaceX rideshare mission, which was transporting 116 small satellites on a Falcon 9 rocket. The flight took off from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.

First contact has now been made with Hyperfield-1, Kuva told TNW on Monday.

After capturing hyperspectral imagery, the satellite will transmit its findings to Earth. Kuva’s AI platform can convert the data into “decision-ready insights” within 15 minutes, the startup said. By 2027, the company aims to provide daily observations.

The plans have been backed by the European Space Agency (ESA). In May, ESA handed awarded Kuva a €1.8mn contract to deliver hyperspectral insights about civil security and crisis events.

Kuva has also been selected for ESA’s InCubed program, which supports Earth observation technologies. Kuva’s second satellite, Hyperfield-1B, has joined the scheme.

The spacecraft is slated for take-off in the first quarter of 2025. Later that year, Kuva plans to launch the second generation of Hyperfields.

The startup is also expanding beyond Europe’s borders. In February, Kuva created an American subsidiary that will offer hyperspectral insights to the US government