American startup Albedo plans to launch satellites for remote sensing of the Earth, capable of capturing surface images at an unprecedentedly high resolution. The optical frames will have a resolution of 10 cm per pixel and 2 m per pixel for thermal imaging.
Albedo’s General Director, Topher Haddad, revealed that the satellites will operate in a very low orbit, ranging from 250 to 350 km, significantly lower than traditional low Earth orbit satellites. This lower orbit will result in clearer and more detailed images compared to existing commercial systems.
According to Haddad, the closer the camera is to the Earth’s surface, the sharper and more informative the image. The 10 cm resolution will allow for distinguishing objects as small as 10×10 cm, such as cars and roofs of houses.
Haddad emphasized that the higher resolution provided by their satellites will enable more accurate object recognition compared to modern commercial satellites with a resolution of 30 cm per pixel, making their product nine times more potent.
Currently, there are only a few satellites worldwide capable of capturing images at a resolution of 30×30 cm, with most systems offering a quality of 50×50 cm.
In 2023, Albedo completed satellite development and initiated production. The startup secured additional investments of $35 million this year and aims to launch the first two satellites in 2025.
Following the launch, Albedo will offer image services for various industries like agriculture, insurance, energy, cartography, utilities, and defense. The company plans to deploy a constellation of 24 satellites that can image the same point up to five times a day to track changes and analyze situations swiftly.
Although concerns have been raised by human rights advocates regarding potential misuse for illegal surveillance, Albedo assures that their satellites are not designed to recognize faces or identify individuals.
Chief lawyer of the Electronic Frontier Fund, Jennifer Lynch, raised the issue of privacy in an interview with New York Times, suggesting that such technology could be exploited by governments without public knowledge.
Back in 2019, Lynch called on regulatory authorities to address this concern. Former CIA employee, Linda Hall, echoed similar sentiments about the invasion of personal space due to the enhanced surveillance capabilities of the satellites.