Sometimes, to move faster, you don't need to break things, you just need to get them. So does Nuview, a startup aiming to use LiDAR to map the world from space, today announcing the acquisition of analytics platform Astraea.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Nuview CEO Clint Grauman also declined to say in a recent interview how many Astraea employees will be joining the company.
Nuview is relatively new to acquisitions. Mr. Grauman founded the company in January 2022, At least $15 million to date. But Grauman said in his experience, companies that try to build every corner of the Earth observation market themselves run into problems.
“I've always seen Earth observation companies struggle to build all their capabilities from scratch,” he says. “We build where we need to and partner where we can, and I think that's made a big difference in successful companies throughout recent Earth observation history.”
He said the acquisition will allow Nuview to begin executing on its plans to provide intelligence on a wide range of satellite, aviation and drone data “years sooner than previously imagined.”
Nuview deploys a constellation of 20 commercial satellites equipped with lidar systems and aims to map the entire surface of the Earth every year. Historically, LIDAR systems have been heavy and power-hungry, making them unsuitable for remote sensing technology that can be deployed at scale. However, Nuview says it is developing its own sensor that is smaller in size and weight and can scan a much larger area at once.
The company plans to launch a proof-of-concept satellite called “Mr.” Spock,'' Grauman declined to say whether Neuveu had booked a formal launch date for its demonstration mission. Once the technology is proven in space, Nuview's plan is to launch five constellations every 12 to 18 months, leaving time to iterate on the technology. Grauman said the company could also adapt future satellites if the lidar being used has different resolution or spectral requirements.
“We're also really looking forward to finding out, for example, Mr. Spock's altitude, which is the nominal altitude of the constellation that best fits our customers' needs. All of this combines to create a sense of agility and a broader It gives you the ability to improve to meet unique customer needs and solve more specific problems along the way.”