Pixxel, Backed by Google, Launches First Three Satellites of Firefly Constellation.
Science and Technology
Mumbai (Maharashtra)-based Pixxel, backed by Google, successfully launched the first three satellites of its Firefly constellation, marking India's first private satellite constellation.
- The satellites were launched aboard SpaceX's Transporter-12 mission from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, USA. The second phase, with three more Firefly satellites, is scheduled for Q2 2025.
- The Firefly constellation features the world's highest-resolution commercial-grade hyperspectral satellites, with a resolution six times sharper than existing ones.
- The satellites, integrated by Exolaunch, have a resolution of 5 meters, far superior to the standard 30 meters, and can capture data across more than 150 spectral bands.
Main Point :- (i) These satellites enable precise monitoring of vegetation health, water quality, chemical compositions, and atmospheric conditions, making them vital for agriculture, climate monitoring, resource management, and environmental protection.
(ii) Operating at approximately 550 kilometers in a sun-synchronous orbit, the satellites cover a swathe width of 40 kilometers, with daily revisit capability, ensuring continuous monitoring of large areas.
(iii) Bengaluru-based aerospace company Digantara, backed by the Aditya Birla Group, launched its Space Camera for Object Tracking (SCOT) mission aboard the same SpaceX Transporter-12 mission, designed for detecting and tracking objects as small as 5 cm.
About Pixxel
Founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) : Awais Ahmed
Headquarter : Mumbai
____________________________
