Meet 'Firefly': India's 1st private earth imaging satellite constellation
What's the story
Bengaluru-based space start-up Pixxel has launched India's first private earth imaging satellite constellation. The constellation, dubbed 'Firefly,' was successfully deployed into a 550km low Earth orbit. The milestone was achieved using SpaceX's Falcon-9 rocket launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. Three more satellites will be launched later this year as part of the project.
Company growth
Pixxel's journey and future plans
Founded in 2019 by Awais Ahmed and Kshitij Khandelwal, Pixxel has quickly emerged as one of the country's satellite success stories. The start-up has raised $95 million since its inception. Till now, all precision earth imaging satellites from India were owned and operated by the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO). However, Pixxel's 'Firefly' constellation changes that.
Technological innovation
A new benchmark in hyperspectral imaging
The 'Firefly' satellites will deliver critical climate as well as Earth insights like never before. Each satellite redefines hyperspectral imaging, delivering advanced spectral capabilities as well as near real-time data collection. The constellation will change the way we understand, interact with, and protect our planet's resources as per the company.
Satellite capabilities
Fireflies offer unprecedented precision in Earth monitoring
The Fireflies are now the world's highest-resolution commercial-grade hyperspectral satellites. They offer an unprecedented level of precision to monitor the planet and set a new standard for hyperspectral imaging capabilities. With a 5m resolution achieved for the first time in a hyperspectral spacecraft, 'Fireflies' are 6x sharper than most of the existing hyperspectral satellites.