Earth Observation advances with Marble Imaging and Reflex Aerospace partnership

Earth Observation advances with Marble Imaging and Reflex Aerospace partnership
by Robert Schreiber
Berlin, Germany (SPX) May 21, 2024

Marble Imaging, supported by Reflex Aerospace, aims to transform the Earth Observation (EO) industry with a constellation of up to 200 small satellites. This initiative seeks to position Marble Imaging as Europe's leading EO company, offering very-high resolution (VHR) images of the entire planet daily. Reflex Aerospace, a German satellite manufacturer, provides satellite platforms known for their stability and pointing accuracy, essential for VHR imagery.

"Our planet is facing significant challenges due to human activities impacting Earth," says Robert Hook, CEO of Marble Imaging. "It's crucial to understand these effects for a sustainable future. To do this, we need a big data approach to monitor these changes and develop solutions. But currently, there's a gap in providing the necessary very high-resolution images essential for such applications."

The EO data and insights will support various applications, including environmental monitoring, sustainability and climate adaptation policies, food security, and humanitarian aid.

Reflex Aerospace will build Marble Imaging's initial satellite, funded by the German Space Agency at DLR through an award to Marble Imaging for winning the small satellite payload competition ('Kleinsatelliten Nutzlastwettbewerb'). The payload will share a platform with IABG Innovation Center's RAISE, an onboard AI computing cluster for autonomous space applications.

"The ability to apply machine learning methods directly at the sensor and the edge in a robust and safe way is key to handling big data and enabling autonomous functions in the challenging and complex space environment," says Dr. Daniel Kliche, SVP Innovations Center at IABG.

Marble Imaging, in partnership with Reflex, aims to challenge the US-dominated EO market and enhance European independence in VHR EO data supply.

Walter Ballheimer, CEO of Reflex, explains: "At Reflex, we believe that the future of our planet depends on lightning-fast innovation in space, which is what drew us to Marble Imaging's mission. Through this partnership, we will deploy emerging technology on tailor-made satellites to develop very high-resolution images that empower informed decision-making, positioning ourselves among the top-tier of EO platform manufacturers."

Siegfried Monser, Space Coordinator of the State of Bremen, congratulated Marble Imaging, calling it: "A good day for the Space Community in Bremen and many other regions in Germany."

Dr. Fabian Mehring, State Minister for Digital Affairs, commented: "I congratulate the team at Reflex Aerospace for its impressive success. I am proud that the architects of progress once again come from Bavaria. Our Free State demonstrates itself once again as Europe's high-tech stronghold and ideal home for future technologies, on the fertile grounds on which the global champions of tomorrow can grow."

Prof. Dr. Rudolf F. Schwarz, CEO of IABG added: "We congratulate Marble Imaging and Reflex on this significant step. We are proud to contribute to the success of the important first mission by providing our expertise and solutions for robust and safe AI."

Partnering with Reflex Aerospace was a logical step for Marble Imaging due to Reflex's ability to deliver high-performance technological solutions quickly. Reflex's approach combines modern manufacturing advancements with streamlined design processes to enhance reliability and accelerate delivery times.

The first satellite's instruments, co-developed with Polish partner Scanway, will provide global data at 0.75-meter Ground Sampling Distance (GSD) in the Visual and Near Infrared (NIR) spectrum and include a panchromatic band. Future satellites will also feature Short Wave Infrared (SWIR) bands, aiming to complement the European Copernicus program.