Kuva Space is dedicated to using space-borne hyperspectral technology to improve life on Earth through real-time, accurate monitoring and measurement of change.
In 2022, the challenges facing the world have highlighted the importance of resilience and action, both big and small. In the wake of the Ukraine war, we witnessed an increased reliance on space-borne data and insights to keep borders safe.
At the same time, the pressure is on for nations to address climate change and protect the environment, as demonstrated by events such as COP27 and the UN Biodiversity Conference, which aim to set aside 30% of the world’s land and oceans by 2030 to prevent ecosystem collapse. There is a growing demand for reliable data and insights for us to make informed decisions.
This year, Kuva Space has been running two successful space missions: Sunstorm and W-Cube and also delivered critical systems to the ESA HERA mission to be launched in 2024 to perform a detailed post-impact survey of the target asteroid, Dimorphos after the successful impact of NASA’s DART to change the asteroid’s orbit in September 2022.
Our team’s proven know-how and experience will be invaluable in building the first commercially viable hyperspectral satellite, Hyperfield-1, which is scheduled to launch in the first half of 2023. With all this bustling development, we celebrated our first hyperspectral satellite’s, Reaktor Hello World, four years anniversary in orbit this November. Happy fourth birthday, Reaktor Hello World!
The potential of hyperspectral analytics services is huge. To show this potential, this year we explored how hyperspectral data analytics can identify different crop types, growth status, and health at higher accuracy than other data solutions, among other things. Even with (so far) very limited hyperspectral data availability, our analytics team has achieved over 90% accuracy in crop and tree species identification, was able to perform crop yield prediction after only three weeks from planting, and developed a sensitive method for pinpointing hidden man-made objects.
Looking ahead
Our upcoming constellation will provide 1000x more data than is currently available, so that will translate into an unprecedented performance and will be a true game changer for global Earth monitoring. High level of accuracy and timeliness will be instrumental in global yield estimation, monitoring local and regional subsidy programs, parametric insurance, and land use optimization. All this will help decision-makers to plan and make informed decisions on securing the food supply.
In the coming year, Kuva Space plans to explore the use of hyperspectral data for biodiversity mapping and monitoring, as well as partnering with environmental organizations, both public and commercial to develop data models that are highly accurate.
Looking ahead to 2023, the growing Kuva Space team is focused on launching the two first Hyperfield family satellites and engaging customers in pilot programs to envisage the opportunities and value of hyperspectral data analytics to their business and our planet. We will keep you posted on our progress as during 2023.
For now, on behalf of the Kuva Space team, we would like to thank our customers, partners and peers and we wish you happy holidays and a great 2023!
Jarkko