Cooperation between Isar Aerospace and OroraTech
Published on Fri, 10.09.2021 – 15:00 CEST in Cooperations, covering Isar AerospaceAt the end of August, Isar Aerospace and the German Space Agency announced that payloads were being sought for the maiden flight of the Spectrum launcher, which will be transported into orbit free of charge. Separately, the microlauncher manufacturer and OroraTech now already entered into a satellite launch agreement. The nanosatellite launches are scheduled to take place between 2022 and 2026.
They are placed in a sun-synchronous orbit (600 - 800 km altitude). One of the advantages of this orbit is that the satellites always fly over a location at the same time. This makes it easier to detect changes, such as those that occur in forest fires, and to react accordingly. With a sufficiently large number of satellites, it is even possible to realize several overflights in one day, which can further improve the observation data.
"Access to the right orbit is critical to meeting our customers' needs. In Isar Aerospace, we have found a flexible launch service provider that will enable us to significantly improve global forest fire detection compared to traditional ride-sharing options that are tied to specific orbits. We look forward to continuing to drive innovation in the space ecosystem and providing the best service to address the global wildfire and climate crisis."
Thomas Grübler, Co-Founder and CEO of OroraTech
OroraTech uses a patent-pending system for observation that is optimized for use in Cubesats. Images captured by infrared cameras are processed in real time on board the satellites. Because they are transmitted via relay network, the time between fire emergence and detection drops from hours to minutes. Valuable time that can be used to reduce the impact of forest fires on people and the environment.
According to a joint press release from Isar Aerospace and OroraTech, the agreement between the two companies covers the launch of more than ten small satellites. In addition, there is "an option to extend the service contract to the entire OroraTech satellite constellation, which consists of hundreds of satellites".
"The agreement with OroraTech is a strong sign of the industry's interest and confidence in Isar Aerospace's technology and unmatched expertise. With technologies in space, we can improve life on Earth and combat global climate change in a data-driven way. We look forward to working with OroraTech and supporting them in their important mission to better monitor the effects of global warming and detect hazards, such as wildfires, to better protect people and our environment"
Daniel Metzler, Co-Founder and CEO of Isar Aerospace
The cooperation between Isar Aerospace and OroraTech is an important signal for the German and European NewSpace ecosystem. It is also proof that the Bavarian aerospace strategy "Bavaria One" is paying off: The founders of the two companies are graduates of the TU Munich.
via Isar Aerospace, Bavarian Space Agency