Bengaluru-based small satellite space-tech company Pixxel has now made headlines with its recent selection as a supplier for NASA’s prestigious Commercial SmallSat Data Acquisition Program. This deal, part of a broader $476 million initiative, marks a significant milestone for both the company and the Indian private space sector. With this development, Pixxel becomes the first Indian startup to secure such a contract with NASA since the opening of India’s space industry to private enterprises in 2020.
Pixxel will be providing NASA with hyperspectral earth observation data under this contract, which runs until November 2028. Hyperspectral imaging is a technique that captures information across hundreds of narrow wavelengths, far beyond the capabilities of traditional earth observation technologies. This data allows for much more detailed analysis of environmental conditions, enabling NASA and its partners, including government and academic institutions, to derive insights that can have real-world applications.
In fact, it enables researchers to monitor environmental factors like climate change, biodiversity loss, and agricultural health with unprecedented accuracy. By offering detailed spectral images of the earth’s surface, Pixxel’s technology is likely to help NASA expand its earth science research capabilities. Awais Ahmed, co-founder and CEO of Pixxel, stated that it “validates that hyperspectral imaging will be integral to the future of space-based earth observation.” The technology, he added, could eventually become a “health monitor” for the planet, providing critical information for combating climate change and other environmental issues.
“But super excited to announce today that Pixxel has now been selected as part of NASA’s $476 million Commercial SmallSat Data Acquisition Program! As the youngest company in a group that includes some of the most established names globally in Earth Observation, this is a crucial milestone for our plans to build a health monitor for the planet through our unique hyperspectral data,” Ahmed wrote in a post on LinkedIn.
Pixxel’s hyperspectral technology, capable of capturing data across 250 spectral bands, will provide NASA and its partners with the tools necessary to tackle some of the world’s most pressing environmental challenges. The technology is particularly useful in monitoring climate change, as it allows for the detection of subtle environmental shifts that might otherwise go unnoticed. For instance, hyperspectral data can be used to identify early signs of drought in agricultural regions, track deforestation, or monitor the health of ecosystems.
Building on the success of its collaboration with NASA, Pixxel is preparing to launch a series of advanced satellites as part of its ongoing expansion. The company’s upcoming Fireflies satellites will feature five-meter resolution hyperspectral imaging, making them the highest-resolution hyperspectral satellites ever deployed. These satellites will offer a comprehensive view of the earth with their 40-kilometer swath width and a 24-hour revisit frequency, ensuring near-real-time monitoring of any location on the planet. In addition to the initial Fireflies satellites, the company plans to expand its satellite constellation to 24 units, greatly enhancing its ability to provide hyperspectral data to governments, industries, and academic institutions worldwide. This expansion will make hyperspectral imaging more accessible and commercially viable.
