SatVu, the UK-based leader in high-resolution thermal Earth observation, announced that HotSat-2 has completed launch integration and is ready for launch aboard the Transporter-16 rideshare mission with SpaceX no earlier than later this month from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California.
HotSat-2, the second satellite in the SatVu constellation, uses mid-wave infrared (MWIR) sensors to deliver a unique, very high-resolution ‘activity’ information layer into the intelligence picture of national security, economic intelligence and climate resilience applications. Whilst optical and radar-based satellites provide the information as to what is on the ground, the HotSat constellation captures the thermal signature of human activity and hence will provide insights into what is operational on the ground.
Anthony Baker, Co-Founder and CEO of SatVu, said: “By returning to orbit, we are restoring a critical capability for our partners and customers. High-resolution thermal data is no longer a 'nice-to-have'; it is a fundamental requirement to complete geographical intelligence assessments. HotSat-2 is designed to measure what’s operating, what’s idle and how these patterns change over time, whether it is day or night. With the satellite now integrated for launch, we are moving closer to delivering a dependable new intelligence layer from orbit.”
UK Space Minister, Liz Lloyd, said: “SatVu is a shining example of British innovation at its best and proof that government investment in our space sector pays dividends. The ability to monitor thermal activity from orbit, around the clock, opens up remarkable possibilities for national security, climate resilience and market intelligence. This is exactly the kind of bold, ambitious technology Britain is leading the world on.”
HotSat-2 forms the technical and operational foundation for the next phase of the constellation. Following this launch, SatVu will rapidly scale its constellation as HotSat-3 is already in production and is scheduled for launch in 2026. Within a short time, the increase in revisit rates will provide low-latency thermal monitoring across the globe and power the development of brand new applications of earth observation data.
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