South Africa’s Space Commercial Services Holdings (SCSH) has signed an agreement with a Chinese satellite operator for marketing and sales of high-resolution satellite imagery
SCSH, on behalf of its subsidiary SCS Global Information (SCS GI), signed the agreement with Twenty First Century Aerospace Technology Asia (21AT) for imagery from their recently launched TripleSat Constellation.
A commercial Earth observation satellite operator based in Beijing, 21AT purchased the capacity of the TripleSat Constellation and is releasing this satellite data for purchase across the world. Successfully launched in July 2015, the TripleSat Constellation consists of three identical electro-optical satellites that make it possible to target any place on the planet once per day. The satellites are designed to provide one metre panchromatic and four metre multispectral imagery products with a swath of 24 km.
Wang Zhiyong, CEO of 21AT, said, “TripleSat is currently undergoing in-orbit commissioning and the initial data acquisition has produced high quality images. The radiometric calibration is continuing and all three satellites are moving towards their designed positions in the Constellation.”
The signing of this agreement marks a shift towards adopting more satellite technology in Africa and realising the vast potential of possibilities that it offers.
Dr. Sias Mostert, managing director of SCSH, said, “The imagery data can support a wide range of applications such as crop assessments, forestry management and deforestation, environmental protection, insurance risk assessments, infrastructure monitoring, urban and rural development, border control and maritime security.”
SCSH is South Africa’s largest private satellite company with a speciality in small satellite assembly, integration and global information services.
