Planetek Hellas will participate to the new European Space Agency study on hyperspectral imaging to support the 2nd generation of the Copernicus Programme. The study will assess the future needs in terms of hyperspectral imaging, coordinate those needs with planned satellite missions and evaluate what existing or future infrastructures are needed to fulfill these needs.
The company was awarded a Phase 1 grant under the Horizon 2020 SME Instrument to produce a feasibility study for a space product called OP3C (On board Processing for Compression and Clouds Classification in hyperspectral satellite data). The OP3C is an electronic component (hardware and software), which will be installed in specific satellites (hyperspectral) and facilitate their operation through automatic data compression functions that can be executed as they orbit around the Earth.
Hyperspectral satellites use hyperspectral sensors that collect images of several wavelengths and combines them into a 3D image. The main users of the OP3C will be Space Agencies, Satellite Operating Centers, Satellite manufacturers, Hyperspectral sensor manufacturers and Consulting companies for satellite mission planning.
Maria Ieronymakis, engineer at Planetek Hellas, thinks that no matter how small you are, you can have a critical advantage on a specific and well-defined niche market and be one step ahead compared other sometimes to bigger players.
Planetek Hellas has 9 different contracts with the European Space Agency and is the first Greek company to have ever signed a contract with the European Space Astronomy Centre (March 2013).
Read more about about our collaboration with the European Space Agency in this article in Greek.