High-Level Insights

"It's never been easier to take an idea and make it real in the space industry."

Space technology makes our lives easier, safer, and better informed. Space is “one of those invisible pieces of infrastructure upon which we all depend”, says Joel Sparks, Chief Satellite Architect at Spire.

The health of the planet depends on it, too. Years of data collection from satellites has enabled more precise climate models and weather predictions, which are two critical components of understanding the impact of climate change.

As Spire CEO Theresa Condor reminds us, “you can’t decide how to fix something if you’re not measuring it.”

But what, exactly, are they measuring?

Through their multipurpose satellite constellation – the largest in the world – Spire develop rich insights about our planet every minute of every day.

GHGSAT, a Canadian payload on one of Spire’s satellites, measures methane and CO2 emissions around the world. In 2022, it detected the Nord Stream pipeline leak in the North Sea, the largest methane leak ever detected.

Spire’s constellation of satellites also monitors sea ice, soil moisture, and wind speed. Among other things, these data points allow organisations and governments to manage agricultural yield, predict drought, recommend safe maritime routes, and map efficient flight paths to reduce emissions within the aviation industry.

With their ‘Space As A Service’ Model, Spire enable clients to seamlessly turn ideas and solutions into operational space services. Instead of building new satellites from the ground, customers can save time and resources by deploying payloads on top of Spire’s existing infrastructure.

What Spire’s technology ultimately allows us to do is zoom out to the big picture. From the vantage point of space, we are afforded an unparalleled opportunity to connect disparate data, analyse it at scale, and understand our planet like never before.

Without this perspective, a lot can be missed.

To learn more about Spire, visit their website.

Spire are a member of the Sustainable Markets Initiative’s Space Sustainability Task Force.