What is known about this satellite

HotSat-1, manufactured in Great Britain, was equipped with a medium-wave infrared camera. The thermal sensor allowed it to track hot and cold objects on the Earth’s surface up to 3.5 meters in diameter; This was a record high resolution for thermal imaging from orbit.

The main task of the device was to identify energy-consuming buildings based on their thermal characteristics and then recommend solutions that could save building owners money and reduce carbon dioxide emissions. We are talking not only about residential buildings, but also public buildings, factories and other infrastructure.

The BBC reports, citing SatVu, the London-based company behind the project: There are no plans to continue operating HotSat-1. The satellite is fully insured and will be replaced in 2025. Meanwhile, the manufacturer is working with a commission of experts to determine exactly what went wrong. Engineers want to learn from the project for the next mission, as SatVu hopes to eventually launch seven such thermal imagers into orbit.

The first images taken from the satellite were published in early October. In particular, it was possible to follow the detailed thermal signature of the wildfires that devastated Canada’s Northwest Territories in June. Also consider the distribution of heat in various cities (residential areas and industrial areas), which poses a number of problems such as overheating zones.

The company even a short flight of the device can be considered successful: The satellite made thousands of rotations, transmitting thermal images and video over the Earth’s poles and oceans, as well as various locations on all continents.