On Sunday, Satrec Initiative announced that their high-resolution commercial Earth observation satellite, SpaceEye-T, successfully communicated with ground stations following its launch on March 15 from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California aboard the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. Satrec Initiative stated that the images generated by the satellite are so precise they can identify vehicle types on roads, making them invaluable for national security, disaster response, and cartography applications.
SpaceEye-T is a medium-sized Earth observation satellite with a height of approximately 3m and a weight of about 650kg. It can produce optical images with an impressive 25-centimeter resolution, allowing it to discern objects as small as 25 centimeters across in images captured by the satellite.
Satrec Initiative CEO Kim Ee Eul stated, “Using the technology and experience accumulated over the past 25 years, we successfully developed and launched the ultra-high-resolution optical satellite SpaceEye-T. ” He added, “This achievement showcases the global competitiveness of South Korea’s private space technology.” He further explained that the satellite’s development and launch were funded entirely through internal investment. He stated the company’s commitment to contributing to space development led by the private sector through market expansion and additional acquisitions.
According to a report by NovaSpace, the global Earth observation satellite manufacturing market will reach approximately $107 billion over the next decade, marking a 24% growth compared to the last decade. By 2032, the Earth observation data and value-added services market is expected to hit $7.7 billion, with high-resolution and ultra-high-resolution imagery dominance.
Companies such as Maxar Technologies in the United States, Airbus in Europe, and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) in Israel compete in the satellite and satellite image markets with 30 cm resolution. Satrec Initiative plans to expand its market share in this competitive field by commercializing SpaceEye-T’s images.
To maximize SpaceEye-T’s potential, Satrec Initiative has strategically positioned its subsidiaries. SIIS will be responsible for the satellite’s operations and image commercialization, while SIA will focus on advancing Earth observation analysis solutions that leverage ultra-high-resolution imagery.
