For what SmallSats lack in size, they more than make up for in quantity and breadth of coverage, and that goes beyond just their physical dimensions. Along with unmanned aerial systems (UASs or drones), SmallSats (which have several related subsets such as cubesats, nanosats, microsats and others) seem to dominate headlines and conversations in Earth-observation industries and media.
Earth Observation Embracing the New Space Environment: The Significance of EO Smallsat Constellations
During the last several years, numerous companies announced their intention to launch low-cost Earth-observation satellite systems, most of which will be constellations of satellites. This implies a significant increase in the amount of Earth-observation data being collected and a growing number of supply choices, but what are the industry implications?