Next month, a private satellite with a resolution of 10 cm will emerge. This recognizes a 10 cm spot on the ground in satellite images, comparable to that of American military satellites.
American startup Albedo Space will launch its first satellite, Clarity-1, in March. Albedo stated it plans to place 24 satellites into Very Low Earth Orbit (VLEO) to provide satellite images with a resolution of 10 cm across the globe.
Ultra-high-resolution satellite images gained attention in 2019 when then-President Donald Trump posted images of Iranian missile bases on Twitter. Experts analyzed that the image achieved a resolution of 10 cm per pixel, which is nine times better than the best existing commercial satellites with a 30 cm resolution per pixel. A 10 cm resolution allows for the identification of vehicle types and people's walking postures.
Topher Hadad, who worked as a satellite engineer at American defense contractor Lockheed Martin, founded Albedo in 2020 and began developing commercial ultra-high-resolution satellites. Over the following four years, it attracted about 186 billion won (approximately $130 million) in investments to commence full-scale satellite development.
To increase the resolution of satellite images, a large lens that can gather more light is needed. Albedo raised the resolution by reducing the distance to the target while keeping the lens unchanged. The satellite's orbit height was lowered. Albedo's satellite is designed to fly 274 km above the Earth, which is much lower than the 550 km orbit of American SpaceX's Starlink satellites.
Operating satellites in very low orbits presents many challenges. First, atmospheric resistance is significant, increasing the risk of satellites falling. Satellites inevitably use a lot of fuel to maintain their orbits. Additionally, the atmosphere contains a lot of oxygen, which can cause parts to corrode, making it difficult to maintain the satellites safely. Albedo minimizes fuel consumption to maintain orbits by utilizing electric propulsion engines and reduces corrosion risks by applying special coatings to the satellite's exterior.
Ultra-high-resolution satellite images are expected to find applications in various industries, including insurance, finance, agriculture, and energy. Insurance companies can analyze the scale of damage after natural disasters, while agricultural corporations can assess crop growth conditions to predict yields. Additionally, hedge funds can analyze the number of vehicles in parking lots and the capacity of oil storage tanks to predict market trends.
According to Albedo, the two-year imaging capacity for Clarity-1 has already sold out. The main customers include gas pipeline operating corporations and firms that supply or analyze satellite images. Some imaging capacity will be used by U.S. government agencies.
South Korea is also developing a 10 cm-class ultra-high-resolution artificial satellite. The Korea Aerospace Administration confirmed its plan to develop a 10 cm-class ultra-high-resolution artificial satellite by 2036 at the 3rd National Space Committee held the day before.