We are currently building our Viewpoint imaging satellite with a 50 centimeter diameter primary mirror, launching in 2023. This commercial telescope will have a high sensitivity ultraviolet /visible 37 megapixel camera, and two 152 megapixel cameras for visible and near-infrared imaging for astronomical and Earth observation purposes, available for use by customers around the world.
The Viewpoint telescope will also provide a 150 band (limited to 39 bands for the export version satellite) hyper-spectral camera for Earth observation as high as 1.5 meter resolution for use in scientific and commercial applications. These applications include efficient farming, mineral and geological surveys, environmental studies, climate change, disaster relief, oil spills, animal migrations, monitor urban growth and more.
The combination of a long focal length along with advanced hardware accelerated on-board computing will allow the Viewpoint telescope to provide 30 centimeter GSD (ground sample distance) in super-resolution Earth observation mode.
Communications consists of a combination of RF command / control and high speed laser data downlink and uplink.
This space telescope is multipurpose, emphasizing low cost and high performance for Earth observation, astronomy, and space situational awareness.
Specifications:
What does this all actually mean?
As a user, all you will need is a smart phone, tablet or computer. Through our app, you can select what you want to take a picture of or take data on, and our telescope will take care of the rest. Sending the data directly back to your device within 24 hours.
- Smallsat form factor, compatible with SpaceX rideshare with 24" ESPA side mount
- 20" (50 cm) diameter Zerodur main mirror with overall 3.8 m focal length
- 152 megapixel monochrome camera, can be used with multi-spectral filter or astronomical filters
- 152 megapixel camera with on-chip Bayer pattern color filters for Earth observation extended strip mode
- 37 megapixel UV / visible high sensitivity imager, 250nm to 900nm, 0.54 arcsec IFOV
- 150 band hyper-spectral imager (limited to 39 bands for the export version satellite), 470nm to 900nm
- 1.3 Mpixel InGaAs SWIR camera, 600nm to 1700nm, 1.9m GSD at 320km height
- Optical communication, 100 Mbps downlink, 25 Mbps uplink
- Globalstar radios for near real time command and control
- 4 reaction wheels
- 3 magnetorquers
- 24 color filter slots: 5 stripe multispectral Earth Observation filter, H alpha, H beta, O III, S II, N II, Sloan UGRI, Swift UVW1 UVW2 UVM2, polarizer, and grism.
- Three star cameras with geolocation accuracy < 10m CE90
- Solar sensor cameras
- GNSS receiver for GPS, Glonass, and Galileo
- Deployable solar panels, 300 watts total
- Electric propulsion for collision avoidance and orbit maintenance at 320 km
What does this all actually mean?
As a user, all you will need is a smart phone, tablet or computer. Through our app, you can select what you want to take a picture of or take data on, and our telescope will take care of the rest. Sending the data directly back to your device within 24 hours.