EarthNow

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EarthNow is a Seattle-based startup company aiming to blanket the Earth with live satellite video coverage, initially aiming to provide services to governments and large-enterprise customers. [1]

The company was founded in 2017 [2] and has backers including Bill Gates, SoftBank, Intellectual Ventures, Airbus, and OneWeb founder Greg Wyler. [1]

The satellite network is to be deployed as a constellation of up to 500 of 230 kilograms (500 lb) satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO). [3] [4]

Manufacturing is expected to be done in Florida and Toulouse, France in partnership with Airbus. [4] [5] [6]

The intent is to provide a "'live and unfiltered' video stream that will be used to monitor illegal fishing, detect natural disasters," monitor migrating whales, observing war zones, on-demand data on crop health, [5] and whatever uses people put on them. [4]

References

  1. 1 2 Coldewey, Devin (18 April 2018). "EarthNow promises real-time views of the whole planet from a new satellite constellation". TechCrunch .
  2. "Bill Gates, Airbus and SoftBank invest in satellite video startup that wants to help us 'see and understand the Earth live and unfiltered'". GeekWire. 2018-04-18. Retrieved 2020-05-23.
  3. "Large LEO satellite constellations: Will it be different this time? | McKinsey". www.mckinsey.com. Retrieved 2022-07-18.
  4. 1 2 3 Alan Boyle (4 February 2019). "EarthNow fleshes out plan to deliver video that shows Earth from orbit in real time". geekwire.com. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
  5. 1 2 Brinkmann, Paul (25 April 2018). "Bill Gates-backed EarthNow satellite firm will boost Space Coast manufacturing". Orlando Sentinel . Retrieved 3 July 2018.
  6. "EarthNow to deliver real-time video via large satellite constellation". www.intellectualventures.com. Retrieved 2026-01-03.