12:00 PM - 12:15 PM
[STT36-12] Small SAR satellite development and solution services
★Invited Papers
Keywords:SAR, Small satellite
1. Company Introduction
Synspective is world’s only company having capability both development of own small SAR satellite constellation and providing solutions with its data and analytics. We create the Learning World where people can expand their capabilities and make tangible progress with new data and technologies.
We believe that there are three important pillars: the creation of new data by satellites, the analysis of data by data science and machine learning, and the development of human resources who will lead the learning world.
2. Small SAR Satellite
2-1. About SAR satellites
Synspective has developed and is operating a small SAR satellite that weighs 100 kg class.SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar) satellites use microwaves to observe the shape of terrain and structures. Microwaves have a long wavelength and can transmit through clouds, making it possible to observe the earth's surface beneath clouds. Also, microwave observation is possible both during the day and at night because it actively emits radio waves. Particularly in Asia, where the rainy season is long and cloudy, it is often difficult to observe with optical satellites, and the demand for SAR satellites that can observe.
2-2. Differences from conventional satellite
The weight of our small SAR satellite "StriX" is 100 kg, which is about 1/10 of a conventional large SAR satellite. In terms of cost, the total cost of development and launch is about 1/20 of that of a conventional large SAR satellite.It will be possible to produce a number of SAR satellites at a lower cost by reducing their size and weight while maintaining performance similar to that of conventional large SAR satellites.
2-3. Results
On December 15, 2020, our first demonstration vehicle "StriX-α" was launched by Rocket Lab's Electron rocket from the launch site in Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand. It was successfully injected into its scheduled orbit (sun-synchronous orbit, 500 km altitude).
On February 16, 2021, we successfully acquired images from the first small SAR satellite (100kg class) in Japan.
2-4. Future development
In 2021, we plan to launch the second demonstration satellite, StriX-β, with the goal of demonstrating in orbit InSAR (Interferometric SAR), an analysis technology unique to SAR that detects millimeter-scale variations in the earth's surface. We aim to build a constellation of 6 satellites by 2023 and 30 satellites by the late 2020s.
3. SAR data utilization
As an example of the use of SAR data, we will observe an area that is in the midst of being damaged by a typhoon. It is possible to know where areas are submerged, which roads are blocked due to flooding, and the overall extent of damage after the typhoon passes. The data can be expected to be utilized by the insurance and financial industries, as well as the government, which need to quickly assess the damage situation based on primary information when a flood occurs.
Another example is the use of SAR satellite data for infrastructure development and urban development, taking advantage of its wide area. At the planning stage of infrastructure and urban development, it is possible to obtain information on topography and land use, which can be used to determine where to install infrastructure. At the construction stage, the data can be used to obtain objective information on the progress of construction and the condition of materials at the site. Also, as the satellite orbits the earth, it is possible to observe construction sites in thousands of locations around the world. For subsequent maintenance, the satellite can also be used for time-series observation and analysis of ground deformation, which can be used for early detection of unexpected stresses and deformations in dams and distortions in large-scale structures such as ports and runways.
Recently, on February 13, a magnitude 7.1 earthquake occurred in Fukushima and Miyagi. Many people may have remembered the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami, however, there is a possibility that our solutions can be effectively used for disaster response in the occasion of such a disaster.
Synspective has already released the ''Flood Damage Assessment'' solution for assessing flood damage (flooded area, flooded depth, damaged roads, damaged buildings) for disaster response as a solution service. Also, we provide the "Land Displacement Monitoring" solution that detects and displays a time series of changes in the land surface in millimeters over a wide area.
Synspective is world’s only company having capability both development of own small SAR satellite constellation and providing solutions with its data and analytics. We create the Learning World where people can expand their capabilities and make tangible progress with new data and technologies.
We believe that there are three important pillars: the creation of new data by satellites, the analysis of data by data science and machine learning, and the development of human resources who will lead the learning world.
2. Small SAR Satellite
2-1. About SAR satellites
Synspective has developed and is operating a small SAR satellite that weighs 100 kg class.SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar) satellites use microwaves to observe the shape of terrain and structures. Microwaves have a long wavelength and can transmit through clouds, making it possible to observe the earth's surface beneath clouds. Also, microwave observation is possible both during the day and at night because it actively emits radio waves. Particularly in Asia, where the rainy season is long and cloudy, it is often difficult to observe with optical satellites, and the demand for SAR satellites that can observe.
2-2. Differences from conventional satellite
The weight of our small SAR satellite "StriX" is 100 kg, which is about 1/10 of a conventional large SAR satellite. In terms of cost, the total cost of development and launch is about 1/20 of that of a conventional large SAR satellite.It will be possible to produce a number of SAR satellites at a lower cost by reducing their size and weight while maintaining performance similar to that of conventional large SAR satellites.
2-3. Results
On December 15, 2020, our first demonstration vehicle "StriX-α" was launched by Rocket Lab's Electron rocket from the launch site in Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand. It was successfully injected into its scheduled orbit (sun-synchronous orbit, 500 km altitude).
On February 16, 2021, we successfully acquired images from the first small SAR satellite (100kg class) in Japan.
2-4. Future development
In 2021, we plan to launch the second demonstration satellite, StriX-β, with the goal of demonstrating in orbit InSAR (Interferometric SAR), an analysis technology unique to SAR that detects millimeter-scale variations in the earth's surface. We aim to build a constellation of 6 satellites by 2023 and 30 satellites by the late 2020s.
3. SAR data utilization
As an example of the use of SAR data, we will observe an area that is in the midst of being damaged by a typhoon. It is possible to know where areas are submerged, which roads are blocked due to flooding, and the overall extent of damage after the typhoon passes. The data can be expected to be utilized by the insurance and financial industries, as well as the government, which need to quickly assess the damage situation based on primary information when a flood occurs.
Another example is the use of SAR satellite data for infrastructure development and urban development, taking advantage of its wide area. At the planning stage of infrastructure and urban development, it is possible to obtain information on topography and land use, which can be used to determine where to install infrastructure. At the construction stage, the data can be used to obtain objective information on the progress of construction and the condition of materials at the site. Also, as the satellite orbits the earth, it is possible to observe construction sites in thousands of locations around the world. For subsequent maintenance, the satellite can also be used for time-series observation and analysis of ground deformation, which can be used for early detection of unexpected stresses and deformations in dams and distortions in large-scale structures such as ports and runways.
Recently, on February 13, a magnitude 7.1 earthquake occurred in Fukushima and Miyagi. Many people may have remembered the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami, however, there is a possibility that our solutions can be effectively used for disaster response in the occasion of such a disaster.
Synspective has already released the ''Flood Damage Assessment'' solution for assessing flood damage (flooded area, flooded depth, damaged roads, damaged buildings) for disaster response as a solution service. Also, we provide the "Land Displacement Monitoring" solution that detects and displays a time series of changes in the land surface in millimeters over a wide area.