ABB enabling high-quality imaging in outer space

February 22, 2022

Zurich/Vancouver - ABB is to supply imaging systems valued at more than 30 million US dollars to the Canadian data and analytics company EarthDaily Analytics. This should increase the quality of images of our planet captured by satellites. An analytics system on the basis of Artificial Intelligence will search through the images captured for signs of change in the Earth’s environment and ecosystems.

The technology firm ABB from the Greater Zurich Area has won its largest contract to date in the private space sector for the delivery of multispectral imaging systems to the Canadian company EarthDaily Analytics. According to a press release, the contract value amounts to in excess of 30 million US dollars.

ABB enabling high-quality imaging in outer space — Source: ABB

The imaging systems developed by ABB are to be used on ten satellites from EarthDaily Analytics that will orbit the Earth. With this technology, the satellites will be able to deliver high-quality imaging in 22 spectral bands with resolution down to just five meters. According to Don Osborne, CEO of EarthDaily Analytics, his company’s satellite network will “provide unprecedented daily global coverage of the Earth at ultra-high, scientific-grade image quality”.

The images captured by the satellites should help to deliver insights on the basis of which measures aimed at environmental protection and sustainable resource management can be developed and implemented. To this end, an analytics system on the basis of Artificial Intelligence (AI) developed by EarthDaily Analytics will examine the images to uncover changes to our planet.

For this project, ABB is also working with another Canadian firm, namely Xiphos Systems Corporation, in addition to Loft Orbital from California, USA. Xiphos Systems is a specialist in the area of aerospace IT solutions, while Loft Orbital is active as a supplier of aerospace infrastructures.

Artificial intelligence

Switzerland and the Greater Zurich Area have occupied top positions in renowned worldwide rankings on innovative strength and talent availability. Switzerland boasts the highest number of AI companies per citizen, according to ASGARD, a Venture Capital firm for Artificial Intelligence. Greater Zurich’s various research institutes, such as ETH Zurich and its AI Center as well as the Swiss AI Lab IDSIA, continue to rank as some of the leading technical institutes in the world and attract the best talents and companies including Google, IBM, Microsoft, Facebook, Oracle and many others.