GRUS-3
Dubbed GRUS-3, the platform will capture images of the Earth’s surface at the same location and nearly the same time every day for locations north of 25 degrees latitude
Operating in sun-synchronous orbit at an altitude of 585 km, each satellite will have an effective swath of 28.3 km and a maximum capture length of 1,356km. The company says this represents a combined daily capture capacity of 2.3 million km² across seven satellites.
With a spatial resolution (GSD) of 2.2 meters, they will include specialised sensors for monitoring vegetation health, coastal seaweed beds and landscape.
The new launches will take the company’s constellation to twelve microsatellites.
Image quality
“With the launch of seven GRUS-3 microsatellites, we will be able to observe a wider area more frequently than ever before,” said the President and CEO of Axelspace, Yuya Nakamura (right).
“By adopting new observation equipment, the image quality will be improved compared to GRUS-1. We will provide enhanced services to our existing customers and continue developing solutions to meet emerging needs, further expanding the use of space.”
Microsatellite
The specification for the GRUS-3 craft are as follows.
- Satellite wet mass: Approximately 150kg
- Satellite envelope: 96cm x 78cm x 126cm
- Spatial resolution: 2.2m
- Effective swath: 28.3km
- Maximum capture length: 1,356km
- Band: Panchromatic, Coastal Blue, Blue, Green, Red, Red edge, Near infrared
- Orbit altitude: 585km
- Orbit type: Sun-synchronous
Axelspace’s first satellite, GRUS-1, was launched in December 2018, followed by four satellites in March 2021.
In January 2024, the company completed a ¥6.24 billion Series D funding round, equivalent to $44.0 million.
Microsatellites are those with a mass between 11 to 200kg, smaller than mini satellites but bigger than nano ones.
Images: AxelSpace
See also: Hyperspectral microsatellite sees Kuva plot commercial constellation
