NorthStar is a Global Information System that will provide the world with new tools to protect our natural resources. NorthStar’s business is focused on the market sectors of Earth Intelligence (EI) and Space Situational Awareness (SSA). Based on a satellite constellation with unique and powerful Ei and SSA sensor arrays, NorthStar will provide Earth Intelligence and Space Object Tracking information products at a level of precision, richness and timeliness never before available.  NorthStar’s proprietary data analytics engines will supply end users with transformational information products that will change the way business is done, both terrestrially and in space.

The NorthStar concept and initial design (developed by KinetX) is focused on information services for a wide range of markets.  Using a constellation of spacecraft as the backbone of data gathering, each satellite in the constellation will contain a pair of sensors: an optical sensor for Space Situational Awareness (SSA) and either an InfraRed or Hyperspectral sensor for Earth Observation (EO). In addition, data will be gathered from additional sources: ground based optical telescopes and radar for SSA and space, airborne, and ground based sensors for EO. 

A central Data Processing Center will be the focal point for the data collection and processing for the NorthStar system although there will be regional centers around the world for customer product generation and distribution. 

There are 6 separate market sets for the SSA products including:

1.     US government (the anchor or ICON client)
2.    Foreign governments and space agencies
3.    Commercial space clients
4.    Regulatory agencies
5.    Insurance groups
6.    Science organizations

The Earth Observation markets are significant in that the number of applications for this data allows for a significant opportunity for growth and ancillary revenue streams. Some of the sectors that would be clients for the data would be:

  • Agriculture

  • Oil and Gas

  • Mining

  • Forestry

  • Fishing

  • Urban Planning

  • Defense

The NorthStar focus is on the customer and the architecture and operations are defined and evolved based upon Customer needs and not on the hope that we will build it and they will come.  Over an 18-month period, NorthStar will launch and deploy 40 satellites completing the initial space based data-gathering component.  In the following years, more satellites will be launched at a rate or 4 or 5 a year to replace failing spacecraft, upgrade technologies, and meet changing customer needs.

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