ABB has been awarded a contract worth around $30 million by the Canadian data and analytics company EarthDaily Analytics Corp. (EDA) to develop and manufacture next-generation multispectral imaging systems to be placed on 10 satellites (including an in-orbit spare) that will circle the Earth.
Multispectral imaging systems capture data at specific light frequencies across a wide spectrum, and the EarthDaily Constellation network of satellites will be able to provide high-quality imagery in 22 spectral bands with resolutions down to five metres. Once deployed on the network of satellites, ABB’s technology will continuously capture images of the planet’s landmasses and large maritime areas as the satellites circle the Earth.
EDA’s artificial intelligence-based analytics system will process the data gathered from these images based on any recorded changes and generate actionable insights that will include information on the state of Earth’s ecosystems, as well as on the impact and progress of the changing climate.
“We are proud to collaborate with ABB on the development of the ground-breaking EarthDaily Constellation, which will provide unprecedented daily global coverage of the Earth at ultra-high, scientific-grade image quality”, said Don Osborne, CEO, EarthDaily Analytics. “Current Earth observation satellite systems provide either high image quality with low coverage or low image quality with high coverage.
“The EarthDaily Constellation brings high image quality and rich spectral band diversity together with daily global coverage – something that has never been available before. ABB’s long track record of success at the forefront of space sensors and Earth observation provides us with not only best-in-class technology but also the confidence that comes from working closely with a leading technology company”.
In addition to providing insights into climate change, the measurements could help scientists address some of the world’s greatest challenges – from the monitoring of crop health to the prediction of forest fire trajectories. Therefore, the data gathered could provide the insight that enables increased support for environmental action, including conservation and sustainable resource management.
“ABB is proud to be part of the EarthDaily Constellation project set to transform the understanding of natural and human-caused change on earth”, said Jacques Mulbert, President Measurement & Analytics Division, ABB. “Our state-of-the-art multispectral imaging technology is the result of our rich expertise in industrial analyzer solutions and over two decades of experience in space programs.
“ABB being awarded this contract is testimony to the competitivity of our offering in the rapidly evolving private space sector. We are confident that this project will be key to empowering industries across diverse domains to make the best possible decisions for their businesses and reach their sustainability goals”.
Working on this project, ABB will collaborate with Xiphos Systems Corporation, the specialists in IT solutions for space high-performance processing electronics, as well as with Loft Orbital, the space infrastructure service provider for EarthDaily Constellation.
The order was booked in the first quarter of 2022.
You can find more information about ABB and the $30 million contract with EarthDaily Analytics on the companies’ respective websites.
Stay up to date with the most recent automation, computer vision, machine vision and robotics news on Automate Pro Europe, CVPro, MVPro and RBPro.
