Earth Observation with hyperspectral tech: Pixxel awarded NASA contract

Bengaluru: Bengaluru-based space data company Pixxel has been selected, along with seven other firms, for NASA’s $476 million Commercial SmallSat Data Acquisition Program On-Ramp1 Multiple Award contract.

The companies, through a contract period till November 2028, are set to provide Earth Observation (EO) data and related services to NASA.

Pixxel said on Monday that with the ability to capture data across hundreds of narrow wavelengths, the company’s datasets can unravel "granular insights" on climate change, agriculture, biodiversity, resource management and more.

Awais Ahmed, co-founder and CEO, Pixxel, said the selection validated that hyperspectral imaging will be integral to the future of space-based EO.

Aakash Parekh, Chief Commercial Officer, Pixxel, said the contract represented a major step forward in leveraging commercial hyperspectral data to bolster earth science research and environmental monitoring.

NASA said the goal of the awards was to give itself a cost-effective way to augment or complement earth observations acquired by the agency and other US government and international agencies.

Pixxel is preparing for the upcoming launch of Fireflies, its five-meter resolution hyperspectral satellites designed to capture data across 250+ spectral bands, offering more comprehensive coverage.