The morning of June 28, Mike Safyan and his 9 partners from Planet Labs will be gathered to the San Francisco Office, having a simple pancake breakfast. That day is a Sunday, so they don't have to go to work.
But this weekend is very important for them in the morning, so that they would not choose to stay at home. They just set up the company for 5 years, mainly engaged in the development of Earth-imaging satellite. They are about to put 8 satellites in the unmanned capsule SpaceX, and sent to the international space station. Smooth progress if all goes according to plan, then the 8 satellites will join in a month to a group made up of 36 satellites satellite team together to fly around.
Restaurant's big-screen TV were opened, Safyan, and some new staff talked several times in the past the launching of satellites. The countdown is about to begin. 7:23 A.M. local time, 2 minutes after the launch, indicating smoke filled the screen, unfortunately. Falcon, 9th in the United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Kennedy Space Center after an explosion, debris spilled into the Atlantic Ocean.
Restaurants are depressing atmosphere in an instant.
Safyan, said: "this is a silent attack. "Prior to joining Planet Labs, Safyan worked as a aeronautical engineer at NASA. "That moment really was incredible. Then everybody thinking, look at each other, and realize that this is true, we really have failed. "
For a start-up companies, especially technology companies, the setbacks are inevitable. For rapid development and great mysteries of space industry, obstacles were more likely.
Successful launch of the satellite, the rocket must reach the speed of sound at a rate of 10 times. And, a spacecraft must be able to complete the international space station in two days of sailing. SpaceX founder Elon Musk said this week, although the investigation is still underway, but the main reason damage should be caused rocket explosion.
If the launch is successful, then after the spacecraft to reach the international space station, which is about 250 miles away from the Earth's surface, astronauts need to put satellites into orbit. Subsequently, the system will be on the ground and the satellite established contact and determine whether it is working properly.
Planet Labs goal is great. They hope to eventually have the orbiting satellites was successfully launched, so that they can be observed on the entire planet in real time every day.
However, to achieve this goal is a very complicated thing, because satellite launches will often be delayed, and sometimes a situation of failure. The launch appeared put off because eight months ago, caught on fire after the ship set sail from the Orbital Science, 26 satellites of the Planet Labs have been destroyed.
Capital inflows
Despite the many obstacles, but they are still quite optimistic. Imagine if we encourage every corner of the Earth to conduct a comprehensive and real-time observation, this will bring enormous benefits to us. In this way, humans can better understand and respond to climate change, better monitor shipping routes and faster deployment of the rescue mission.
"It allows people to quickly find and solve problems, to effectively prevent the problem from getting worse. "Robbie Schingler said. He was one of the three co-founders of the Planet Labs and former NASA employees.
Many groups, including hedge funds, brokers and conservationists, government agencies, and real estate developers are very optimistic about the potential of their projects.
Silicon Valley venture capitalists also made a big bet, according to CB Insights survey, these investments were in Howe threw $ 1.7 billion in a year this year to support the development of the aerospace company. Even excluding SpaceX gets $ 1 billion funds, funds obtained in the market in 2015, you can still achieve the total funds of the past three years, more than twice the number of times. In April alone, Planet Labs was about 118 million US dollars in cash.
Of course, as the Internet giant Google also supports the development of the project. Last year, it invested $ 500 million in funding for supporting the development of satellite manufacturer Skybox Imaging. Skybox has just started, but its technology can support such as search category, map and Google map and other product development.
"In the future, there will be more companies rely on basic technology support. "Said Peter Hebert, co-founder of Lux Capital, it is a venture capital company in Silicon Valley. Peter said: "the timing of this boom will last for decades. "
In addition to Planet Labs, Lux is also investing support Kymeta, its technology is designed to unlock the radio spectrum in space, for use on Earth. Lux also voted in Orbital Insight with the Google ventures, the company is committed to processing satellite images provided by the developers, and processing tools sold to hedge funds and other businesses and environmental organizations.
SpaceX had a head start
The turning point in the industry dates back to the year 2012. At that time, the SpaceX Dragon becomes the first commercial spacecraft bound for the international space station, and since then, stirred up around entrepreneurs who love science fiction interest.
Meanwhile, space scientists also began to seek opportunities to uses these aircraft in a new way. If SpaceX can supply cargo to the international space station, it can also send something else up?
Imagine this scenario: aerospace companies such as SpaceX and Orbital Sciences, as well as a number of Russia's developers have begun to open up channels to the next Internet.
Like the appearance of personal computers opened the way for the development of new software companies, or like Amazon's Web service to create a lot of cloud apps, the emergence of private spacecraft will also produce a number of new industries than ever before. Amazon founder Jeff Bezoseven had his own space company, Blue Origin, its first successful test flight of its first aircraft in April.
If all of this with the rapid development of cloud computing, big data analysis, rapid decline in electronic component prices in mobile equipment, eco-system and programming with the boom, private airlines may soon be realized.
According to SpaceX's website shows that 2016 a Falcon 9th launch will cost approximately US $ 61.2 million. Is expected to be this year or next year's Falcon Heaven will become the world's most powerful launch vehicle, each launch cost about $ 90 million. It will be its most direct competitor, one-third.
Pace of reduction in the cost of the launch, and allows developers to continually test and improve their products. Planet Labs describes this process as "fast Aero".
"In the past, when satellites are rare, the cost that is shocking. If you want to get a satellite image, you pay at least $ 10,000. "Orbital Insight's founder and CEO James Crawford said. He has worked at NASA in the past few years. He added: "you have to print it out with me, can't afford to lose, or your boss will kill you. "
In addition, Crawford also knows exactly when this wave is changing. Between 2009 and 2012, Crawford is responsible for Google's book search program, whose goal is a page to browse over 20 million books. Search Giants Google, part of their mission is to categorize the world's information. More importantly, it has to show the world how high-speed and inexpensive imaging software has become.
If Crawford classification not a book but a planet, and that it will do? He established the Orbital Insight just invented an algorithm for image processing.
Opportunities arise
First time, has borrowed from traditional satellite manufacturer Orbital Insight DigitalGlobe and Airbus have created images to show investors the United States major retail chain store traffic and their sales. When consumers are increasingly worried about data leakage, investors according to parking parking situation to judge.
Crawford said satellite manufacturers such as Planet Labs will be more of a satellite into space, a variety of new business opportunities are emerging. He has set out to measure the proportion of China's construction, as well as crude oil reserves in the world. Crawford said, "with this technique, you will be able to see every corner of the world, can be observed throughout the world forest, and find out the causes of forest degradation. "
Global forest monitoring (GFW) is a project undertaken by the World Resources Institute, eager to use this technology for the engineering practice. Since the opening of the project since last year, GFW has been used satellite images provided by the Government, make people more clearly see the State of the world's forests, help many countries around the world to understand their situations and causes of forest degradation.
GFW Washington branch leader said Crystal Davis, Orbital depth of Insight learning techniques that you are testing, hoping to eventually get Planet Labs image information.
Their aim is that by looking at the past year in the image analysis of the degradation of forests, and these realistic graphics data to be expected to change our behavior. Of course, businessmen hoping to learn about their industrial chain hidden behind the product, as well as their impact on the environment. FENDI case
For example, palm oil is the main ingredient of making ice cream, then in places like Malaysia and Indonesia countries such people have massive deforestation and planting Palm trees. When Palm oil production for Unilever in Ben and Jerry ice cream, their raw material can be traced back to these plants, companies like Unilever is perfectly capable of putting pressure on suppliers.
Farmers also need to walk in the forefront of the times
Existing satellite images are also needed for agricultural production, but somewhat conservative and restricted.
As distributors of agricultural products in the world, Wilbur-Ellis signed an agreement in February with the Planet Labs, to provide the necessary help for crop growers. Wilbur hopes that by 2016 when cultivated, Planet Labs can have more satellite orbited the Earth, so that they can provide more comprehensive assistance.
It is really good for the land, but the three-fourths area of the Earth is covered by water, what should we do then?
Analysis of weather conditions, ship tracking, as well as illegal fishing by Spire Global company committed to solve the problem. Spire Global is just at the beginning, was founded in 2012, compared with Planet Labs, it is still in the early stages of development, to date only four satellites orbited the Earth. But it has recently raised $ 40 million in funding from investors, is expected later this year, it could launch 20 satellites, until the end of 2017 it can total 100 satellites to be launched.
Spire's operating officer Chris Wake said: "when I think of a boat into the sea, and I found the boat when you know nothing, and billions of dollars in cargo, began to worry. Therefore, our focus is marine, real time tracking on the world's oceans. "
Wake said, as manufacturers continue to upgrade the deployment frequencies, Spire plans to launch a satellite every month. FENDI iPhone 6 Case
However, the Planet Labs continues to persist in its quarterly plans to launch a satellite. The company's debut in April 2013, space satellites, despite several failed, but still managed 11 launch 9 times.
SpaceX after the explosion, the Planet Labs become more active, decided not to slow its satellite launch schedule. Last week, the company's acquisition of the satellite operator BlackBridge, won over 6 billion square kilometers, for up to 6 years of image information. Co-founder and CEO of Planet Labs Will Marshall explains: "it gives us one of the largest commercial satellite image data sets. "
This is since June 28, SpaceX after the blast, Marshall issued a first blog post. Article tone is slightly boring, in the article, he expressed his condolences for the SpaceX team staff, as well as of its 130 employees, supporters and customers of sympathy. He said: "as we have said before, the aerospace industry is difficult. "
Spacecraft launch failures that morning, Marshall is out of the Office. And like most people in the company, he is also an early Sunday morning watching the launch. However, after the failed launch, Marshall and Safyan, and immediately contacted the team as a whole. Safyan said: "even though we lost, but it strengthened our resolve to continue to move forward. "
via cnbc
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