Spacetech Startup Pixxel Announces Launch Of It’s Commercial Satellite Constellation

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The Fireflies constellation of six hyperspectral satellites is set to launch early next year

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The firm stated that the satellite constellation will have over 150 spectral bands and a native resolution of five meters

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Pixxel's 40-kilometer broad swath will provide everyday access to any corner of the world and unequaled image capabilities

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Pixxel, founded in 2018 by Awais Ahmed and Kshitij Khandelwal, aims to provide imaging services to clients across multiple sectors through a fleet of hyperspectral earth satellites

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According to media reports, the startup intends to expand the Fireflies constellation to 24 satellites by 2025

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These satellites are planned to weigh roughly 50 kg, a major increase from the 15 kg weight of its demo satellites, Shakuntala and Anand, launched in 2022

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Firefly constellation data can be used for early crop disease identification, water stress monitoring, and deforestation tracking, among other applications

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Pixxel has raised over $71 million in funding from investors including Google, Radical Ventures, Accenture, Lightspeed, Blume Ventures, and growX

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The Bengaluru-based spacetech space recently secured a contract with NASA to provide hyperspectral Earth observation data

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