Wyvern is revolutionizing environmental monitoring through its advanced hyperspectral imaging (HSI) satellites. The Edmonton space company currently utilizes three satellites, capturing data across various spectral bands. This capability allows Wyvern to identify distinct chemical and physical properties of the Earth’s surface, similar to performing spectroscopy from space. The captured data enables groundbreaking analytics for commercial and environmental applications.
The current project focuses on demonstrating Wyvern’s second-generation (Gen 2) satellite technology to mitigate wildfires for the forestry industry, as well as to detect small methane leaks for energy industries. Wyvern’s project addresses critical market and safety needs in wildfire monitoring and methane detection. Its technology transforms the way wildfires are fought and mitigated by providing crucial data on fire hotspots, vegetation moisture, and forest health. Similarly, the enhanced emission detection capabilities of the Gen 2 sensors will enable more efficient mitigation of fugitive emissions in the oil and gas sector.
The key innovation driving this capability is deployable optics. This design allows optical components to be compactly stowed and deployed in orbit, significantly reducing launch costs and enhancing performance. Manufacturing these advanced sensors in Edmonton not only boosts Alberta’s space industry but also generates over 50 new jobs. The project is expected to yield substantial environmental benefits, including improved wildfire management and more effective detection of methane leaks.
