NanoAvionics will also supply an additional two MP42 microsatellite platforms for Satlantis’s new generation sub-meter resolution Earth Observation satellites.

Malaga, Spain, 18 February 2025 – UK based SuperSharp, part of the Satlantis group, has selected Kongsberg NanoAvionics’s (NanoAvionics) MP42 microsatellite platform for a first-of-its-kind Thermal InfraRed (TIR) mission called Blue Moon. The mission will embark SuperSharp’s flagship instrument HIBISCUS, an 80kg payload, onboard NanoAvionics’ flight-proven MP42 satellite bus. The launch is scheduled for the second half of 2026 onboard a SpaceX’s Transporter rideshare service.

The capabilities of Blue Moon will extend beyond that of conventional Earth observation (EO) satellites since the instrument is designed to acquire images day and night.

The disruption of SuperSharps‘ innovation, however, lies in its proprietary unfolding payload technology, capable of delivering 4x higher resolution per unit cost.

HIBISCUS can capture Long-Wave InfraRed (LWIR) imagery at a spatial resolution of three metres. The data generated by this category-defining satellite will support applications in the field of climate resilience, such as urban heat monitoring, as well as those in the domain of national security. It aims also to enable new applications in these fields.

In parallel to this agreement, NanoAvionics will also supply an additional two MP42 microsatellite platforms to Satlantis for its new generation of sub-meter resolution Earth Observation satellites.
Powered by a team of more than 30 engineers SuperSharp is a University of Cambridge spin-out founded in 2017 and part of the Satlantis group since 2023. The company specialises in the design and manufacture of very high-resolution Thermal InfraRed (TIR) imaging satellites.
 
The company’s first satellite mission will be carried out in partnership with small satellite manufacturer NanoAvionics, subsidiary of the Kongsberg group.
 
 Marco Gomez-Jenkins, co-founder and CEO of SuperSharp, said: “We are delighted to partner with NanoAvionics on this mission to unlock the value of ultra-high resolution thermal imaging from space. The combination of our HIBISCUS telescope and their MP42 satellite platform will enable new applications in this domain, from climate change mitigation to security and defence. This mission would not be possible without the ongoing support of institutional actors, in particular the UK Space Agency.”

Atle Wøllo, CEO of Kongsberg NanoAvionics, said: “Satlantis has been one of our earliest commercial Earth observation customers, and we’re excited to build on the legacy of the first three nanosatellites we launched with them. These three new missions highlight how NanoAvionics evolves alongside our customers and their growing needs. By helping SuperSharp and Satlantis deliver industry-leading 3-meter thermal imaging and submeter visible to near-infrared capabilities, we’re setting a new benchmark for our standard MP42 microsatellite platform, supporting larger, more advanced payloads than ever before.”
 
Juan Tomas Hernani, co-founder and CEO of Satlantis, said: “The race to space is more and more about partnerships. The breakthrough offered by SuperSharp with its 3 m resolution in TIR in a joint mission with NanoAvionics makes us very proud to lead the global strategy for this. It also gives us an opportunity to fuse TIR as an extended channel into our next missions”.

About SuperSharp
SuperSharp develops unfolding space telescopes to capture high-resolution thermal infrared (TIR) images of the Earth. The company’s unique technology allows it to fit a large telescope in a small satellite, making low-cost, high-resolution, and frequent Earth-imaging possible. This makes powerful TIR space telescopes much more affordable while achieving 4x greater resolution per unit cost than the current state-of-the-art solutions. The images captured by SuperSharp’s space telescopes can be used for applications such as tackling climate change, crop monitoring, and maintaining global security.
Learn more at https://www.supersharp.space/

About SATLANTIS
SATLANTIS is a leading Space technology company delivering cutting-edge solutions for Earth Observation and Universe Exploration. At the core of its innovation is the Integrated Standard Imager for Microsatellites (iSIM), a high and very high-resolution optical payload designed for Small Satellites.
SATLANTIS’ Earth Observation (EO) technology provides simultaneous coverage across PAN, RGB, NIR, and SWIR spectral ranges, as well as TIR capabilities (with SuperSharp), video, and polarimetry. This advanced data blend ensures exceptional terrestrial precision and ultra-high resolution, with features like simultaneous VNIR and SWIR spectral capture and the agility to continuously acquire imagery of non-linear ground structures.

About Kongsberg NanoAvionics (NanoAvionics)
Kongsberg NanoAvionics is reshaping the space economy with its standardized small satellite platforms. The company offers efficient, cost-effective satellite products and services that help organizations launch their space missions swiftly. Since 2014, over 120 projects in 50 countries have trusted NanoAvionics‘ experience, technology, and higher return on their satellite investment. Its globally local team comprises nearly 300 international professionals with dedicated facilities in Lithuania, the United States, and the United Kingdom.
As part of Kongsberg Defense and Aerospace since 2022, NanoAvionics is further strengthening its commitment to robust, innovative, secure, and reliable space solutions.
NanoAvionics is proudly accelerating the pace of space-based connectivity or remote sensing, one satellite constellation at a time. http://www.nanoavionics.com

Source : SuperSharp