Geospatial data collection was quite centralized in the past – just a few missions and a handful of instruments and satellites were engaged in observation through a centralized system. Only a few big countries in the world were able to collect this.
Nowadays, a large number of companies are offering satellite constellations as a commercial market offering. This means there is a rise in demand for satellite data, and due to increasing competitiveness, there are multiple providers for similar data types, such as what is made available by cosine.
With new technologies and systems such as drones and space apps, we get data more rapidly and can also process it on board. Resilience and reliability are already in effect as we move from one big satellite to constellations. Smaller satellites give more redundancy along with data continuity.
Towards enablement
We are seeing space applications – the satellites and the instruments – becoming more of a commodity. It also means that there are multiple parties that can offer solutions. Over the last few years, making space-based infrastructure and geospatial data accessible to everyone has become salient.
In the coming years, there will be many more applications using geospatial data, not just limited to the classical geospatial information that people are familiar with.
For instance, if we examine the climate problem, it’s crucial that we build up space infrastructure. cosine is working to make that possible by building up the capabilities, and our customers are building up the capacities.
We demonstrated last year that we cannot only process the image data in orbit but that we can actually also apply Machine Learning algorithms to it.
Fast processing
There’s a need of rapid response systems so that we can get access to data in a few hours. This means on-board processing, which translates into miniaturization and commoditization.
An important trend we are witnessing is more standard instruments. Our company is manufacturing hyperspectral instruments that are small enough to fly on a constellation and
swift in response. With in-orbit processing and the short timescales, there will be abundant real-time information for disaster mitigation related to fire hazard risks, oil spills, and more.
In the coming years, there will be many more applications using geospatial data, not just limited to the classical geospatial information that people are familiar with.
Market shift
Over the previous few decades, the business model has changed towards creating solutions. The focus for companies is on building a system that actually provides a solution, not just an abstract amount of data that other people can work on. It enables direct value for the end-user.
Instead of focusing on huge missions that cost billions of dollars and are managed by large industrial conglomerates, paid by the governments, the business model has shifted towards
building up services, and applications, and providing concrete information and actionable insights that people are willing to pay for.
At the same time, we also see that in the current business models, the government is an important customer, as well as a key player with strategic interests. This is not just limited to Earth Observation.
For climate change, there are completely commercial use cases as well. But also for many of the business cases, the governments are actively involved.
Bottom line is that investors are looking for demonstrable business cases, which give ample wriggle room to the company to charge for the services they offer. In 2023, the opportunity is to start building up real operational systems.
(Prof. Dr Marco Beijersbergen is the founder of cosine, a space company celebrating its 25th anniversary. The views expressed in the article are the personal opinions of the author.)
Disclaimer: Views Expressed are Author's Own. Geospatial World May or May Not Endorse it
