Going To Space Is Getting Easier

The earth will soon be able to take a daily selfie. So you might wanna get out of your PJs.

An Arlington startup is launching an 18-satellite constellation in two years to snap daily images of our planet. The plan is to sell analytics from those pics and other datasets to corporations and governments so they can track the effect of environmental changes. OmniEarth co-founder Lars Dyrud says agriculture and packaged food customers can predict yields and mange farms, insurance firms can compare pre-loss views, and banks and real estate firms can track changes in construction activity anywhere.

OmniEarth’s satellites launch in 2016, so the one-year-old company hopes to acquire a geospatial analytics firm to build its information infrastructure; that'll get it ready to sell subscription services. OmniEarth is also marketing its predictive analytics and geospatial tools. To cut the launch price tag, the 12-person company is “ridesharing" with Spaceflight, a Seattle company that launches small satellites. (Think Uber for satellites.) Launching 18 would have cost billions years ago, but OmniEarth predicts its constellation will cost $250M.

This is one of the satellites OmniEarth will launch. Lars says there’s been a grassroots movement to create standards for building smaller satellites with lower cost components. Current satellite imagery only covers 1% of the globe in one day, and getting an image involves calling brokers and satellite providers. OmniEarth's service will be more timely, says Lars.

Continue reading this story with a free account

Log in or register
Sign up for more articles like this
Subscribe to Bisnow's Washington, D.C. Newsletters
Related Stories

270-Unit Manassas Gated Community Sells: The D.C. Deal Sheet

BXP Closes In On Next D.C. Office Development As It Shrinks Assets

How Metropolis Is Bringing Parking Into The Future With AI And Recognition Technology

Montgomery County Approves 18-Month Data Center Moratorium

With New $250M Deal, Elme Is Fully Set To Liquidate

Simpson Thacher Appears In Talks For What Could Be One Of D.C.'s Largest Office Leases In 2026

Hines Nabs 4 Prince William Housing Sites: The D.C. Deal Sheet

AvalonBay Sells 217-Unit Community Next To Greensboro Metro

GSA Head Says Federal Government Has 'Place To Play' In Southwest D.C. Redevelopment

Downtown D.C. Office In Receivership Hits Market For Conversion

Nonprofit Takes On $105M Silver Spring Project: The D.C. Deal Sheet

Janeese Lewis George Wants To Stabilize Rent. The Question Is How