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uropean Space Imaging (EUSI), known for its advanced satellite tasking solutions, has joined forces with Albedo, the company behind the first commercial satellite designed for Very Low Earth Orbit (VLEO). Together, they aim to deliver the world’s highest-resolution satellite imagery to the European and North African markets, setting a new standard in Earth observation.
This announcement follows the successful launch and initial commissioning of Albedo’s Clarity-1 satellite, marking a significant milestone in Earth observation capabilities.
Through this partnership, EUSI will provide 10cm-class resolution optical imagery to users across the globe, with the added advantage of exclusive tasking capabilities over key strategic regions in eastern Europe and the Mediterranean. This collaboration is positioned to have significant impacts on safety, security and civil applications at both EU and national levels.
After reaching its target orbit – roughly half the altitude of conventional Earth observation satellites – Clarity-1 will provide an exceptional level of detail, capturing 10cm visible imagery and 2m thermal imagery, capabilities that until now have been limited to aerial platforms. Within a few days of launching, the Albedo team successfully made contact with Clarity-1 and commissioned its precision GNC hardware to transition between various operational modes, including Protect Mode, a VLEO-optimized version of a normal satellite’s ‘safe mode’. Clarity-1 is undergoing further commission steps and sensor calibration, after which it will descend in altitude and perform inclination adjustments to its operational VLEO positioning.
Topher Haddad, CEO of Albedo, emphasized the significance of this collaboration between Albedo and European Space Imaging (EUSI): “We are excited to partner with EUSI and bring aerial-quality imagery from space to the European and North African markets,” he said. “Leveraging EUSI’s vast network and expertise in high-resolution imagery allows us to proliferate our imagery and deliver impact quickly.”
Adrian Zevenbergen, CEO of EUSI, highlighted the technological advancements involved, noting that Albedo’s approach marks a major step forward for the industry. “This technology from Albedo, in terms of launching into VLEO to offer unprecedented resolution, represents a significant leap forward in our industry,” he stated. “For well over 20 years, we’ve consistently offered the highest resolution satellite imagery available in a manner that benefits the European EO market, and we remain committed to delivering innovative geospatial data with this partnership.”
