Livestreaming Our Changing Planet

"This is a story that should be told and that everyone should have access to."

We live on an ever-evolving planet shaped by both natural forces and human development. There is an abundance of data about the ways in which our world is changing, but visualising this on a global scale hasn’t always been simple – until now.

As Charles Black explains, astronauts returning from orbit often describe feeling a shift in their perspective and a profound sense of connection to our planet. He founded Sen to make this experience accessible to anyone with an internet connection. Through freely available visualisations of Earth from outer space, the company’s goal is to "empower humanity to witness planetary change".

Using micro satellites and hosted cameras, Sen deliver imagery of the Earth’s surface directly into the hands of individuals. SpaceTV-1 is Sen’s proprietary 4K camera system. Hosted on board the International Space Station and robotically operated from the UK, it’s the world’s first commercial livestream from space. What makes this footage unique is that it’s freely available to watch on Sen’s website, app, and YouTube channel.

The value of Sen’s media goes beyond storytelling. A key focus of their data is environmental monitoring, collecting valuable insights about our changing planet. Their technology can also aid in emergency response by providing life-saving updates to humanitarian organisations during natural disasters.

How can these services be scaled in the future? Sen are already working on launching additional video cameras into space. They are also developing virtual reality services that provide an immersive experience of the worlds outside our own.

These new views of Earth may change the way we see – and understand – our planet forever.

To learn more about Sen, visit their website.

Sen are a member of the Sustainable Markets Initiative's Space Sustainability Task Force.