The deal with OroraTech will see its spacecraft launch on an Electron rocket from Launch Complex 1 on the east coast of New Zealand’s North Island.
Aside from its work in the US, OroraTech has contracts with both the Forestry Corporation of New South Wales and the Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service.
The news significantly comes as Los Angeles continues to battle some of the worst fires in its history during what is meant to be its quieter winter season, leading to fears its summer period could be worse.
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Rocket Lab said it would deploy OroraTech’s latest plane of satellites, called OTC-P1, to their current constellation, and the blast-off would take place within four months of the initial contract being signed.
Rocket Lab CEO Sir Peter Beck argued the quick turnaround highlights the advantage of using bespoke services like his company’s Electron rocket.
“Knowing that time is of the essence to get these satellites in space, we’re proud to be rising to the challenge and supporting the OroraTech mission to better monitor for and protect against these devastating natural disasters globally,” he said.
“This launch is a showcase of all the benefits of flying dedicated on Electron: control over schedule, agility and ability to meet tight deadlines and mission requirements, and the reliability of launching on the world’s most frequently launched small orbital rocket.”
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The blast-off follows OroraTech launching its third satellite, FOREST-3, on SpaceX’s larger Transporter-12 rideshare mission earlier this month, with plans to eventually grow the constellation to 100.
OroraTech is one of several organisations using innovative sensors in space to tackle worsening bushfires.
In September, for example, Space Connect reported how Google would invest $19 million in a 52-strong satellite constellation to detect bushfires just five metres in size.
The plan, overseen by the newly formed Earth Fire Alliance, will also use AI to quickly compare recent images of forests to those taken outside of bushfire season.
It’s hoped the twin advancements will mean firefighters can extinguish the flames shortly after ignition and before they have a chance to spread out of control.
Google climate research lead Christopher Van Arsdale said the new constellation would help fill a “huge gap” in the data currently available.
“When we designed the satellite constellation, and we were looking at its capabilities, certainly the bushfires in Australia were part of the design requirements,” he said. “We are going to make this data as broadly available as possible.”
Adam Thorn
Adam is a journalist who has worked for more than 40 prestigious media brands in the UK and Australia. Since 2005, his varied career has included stints as a reporter, copy editor, feature writer and editor for publications as diverse as Fleet Street newspaper The Sunday Times, fashion bible Jones, media and marketing website Mumbrella as well as lifestyle magazines such as GQ, Woman’s Weekly, Men’s Health and Loaded. He joined Momentum Media in early 2020 and currently writes for Australian Aviation and World of Aviation.
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