{"id":159363,"date":"2023-05-15T23:54:31","date_gmt":"2023-05-15T23:54:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/culture.org\/?p=159363"},"modified":"2023-09-04T15:08:11","modified_gmt":"2023-09-04T15:08:11","slug":"nuview-unveils-plans-to-launch-lidar-satellite-constellation-for-3d-earth-mapping","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/culture.org\/special-interest\/nuview-unveils-plans-to-launch-lidar-satellite-constellation-for-3d-earth-mapping\/","title":{"rendered":"NUVIEW Unveils Plans to Launch LiDAR Satellite Constellation for 3D Earth Mapping"},"content":{"rendered":" \r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n
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Florida-based geospatial technology company NUVIEW recently announced its ambitious plan to launch a constellation of 20 LiDAR satellites designed to create 3D maps of the Earth’s entire land surface.<\/span><\/p>\n The announcement was made during the Geospatial World Forum held in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. LiDAR, or Light Detection and Ranging, technology employs pulsed lasers to measure distances by calculating the time it takes for reflected light to return to the receiver.<\/span><\/p>\n So far, only around 5% of Earth’s landmass has been mapped using LiDAR.<\/span><\/p>\n Historically, LiDAR technology has been primarily deployed through unscalable and costly platforms such as aircraft and drones.<\/span><\/p>\n Space-based LiDAR systems, like the ones used by NASA, are large and power-intensive, making them difficult to scale.<\/span><\/p>\n However, recent advances in LiDAR components and satellite technology have made NUVIEW’s plan technically feasible.<\/span><\/p>\n The company has managed to reduce the size and weight of its system, and its LiDAR satellites are capable of scanning large areas at once.<\/span><\/p>\n Furthermore, the evolving space industry, spearheaded by companies like SpaceX, has led to decreased launch costs and the development of commercially available small satellites capable of generating enough power to run a LiDAR system.<\/span><\/p>\n According to Clint Graumann, CEO and co-founder of NUVIEW, all satellite bus manufacturers that the company is currently in discussions with can produce platforms powerful enough for the LiDAR payload.<\/span><\/p>\n Florida-based geospatial technology company NUVIEW recently announced its ambitious plan to launch a constellation of 20 LiDAR satellites designed to create 3D maps of the Earth’s entire land surface.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/span>\r\n\r\n NUVIEW will initially launch a proof-of-concept satellite called “Mr. Spoc,” although no firm launch spot has been reserved yet.<\/span><\/p>\n Following the successful demonstration of their technology, the company plans to launch the commercial constellation in tranches of five satellites, with an 18-month gap between each launch until the full 20-satellite constellation is achieved.<\/span><\/p>\n The company has already secured over $1.2 billion in contracts with prospective customers for its data, which has applications across numerous industries.<\/span><\/p>\n Farmers can use the data to optimize crop yields and water usage, while urban planners can leverage it to create more efficient and sustainable environments for cities.<\/span><\/p>\nOvercoming Technical Challenges to Bring LiDAR to Space<\/b><\/h2>\n
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From Proof of Concept to Commercial Constellation<\/b><\/h2>\n
A Valuable Data Source for AI and Machine Learning<\/b><\/h2>\n