AAC Clyde Space has delivered the 6U satellite EPICHyper-3 to the Vandenberg Space Force base in California for a planned launch in November 2023. The satellite will deliver hyperspectral Earth observation data to Canadian company Wyvern Inc., under a Space Data as a Service (SDaaS) contract.
The satellite is the third in the EPICHyper series and follows EPICHyper-1 and EPICHyper-2, both launched earlier in 2023. Under the SDaaS agreement AAC Clyde Space owns and operates the three satellites, while Wyvern owns the hyperspectral data delivered by the satellite.
The satellites are part of AAC Clyde Space's EPIC VIEW family of spacecraft, which are optimized to host cutting-edge imagers, enabling them to deliver multi-spectral and hyperspectral images of the Earth's surface. The image data will be used by farmers around the world to optimise food production yields and detect invasive plants, pests and changes in soil make-up.
"Our Space Data as a Service model capitalises on a demand in the market and is helping to meet the food production needs of our society. Smart farming can optimise yields, increase soil quality, and improve water management - 70% of the world's freshwater withdrawal is used for agriculture. The data delivered by this satellite will help communities and farmers around the world to increase production, minimizing the environmental impact of their activities." says AAC Clyde Space CEO Luis Gomes.
Satellite imagery is employed in the agriculture sector for multiple purposes. The new improved hyperspectral information from satellites provides better resolution and sampling rate that gives farmers better knowledge for an improved and more resource-efficient agriculture. This in turn could help to maximise productivity and reduce costs while increasing environmental sustainability.
For more information visit: www.aac-clyde.space