NorthStar Earth and Space, a Montreal-based tech startup developing an earth and space platform tracking space debris, has signed an agreement with the Canadian Commercial Corporation (CCC) to help negotiate initial service agreements with the United States, Britain, and other countries.
NorthStar plans to launch a constellation of satellites that will monitor Earth’s ecosystems and orbit.
NorthStar’s proposed information, satellite service platform aims to deliver new and vital information to ensure the sustainability of critical earth and space environments. It will provide commercially available data about the Earth and its orbit amid growing concerns about the risks posed by space debris, the government stated.
The company plans to launch a new constellation of small satellites that will deploy hyperspectral, infrared, and optical sensors to continuously monitor and analyze the Earth’s ecosystems and orbit in 2021.
NorthStar claims it will be the first commercial platform to track orbital objects (debris) from space-based sensors. The company will use its collected data to create advanced information services tailored to client needs and requirements, aiming to elevate traditional earth observation.
CCC, a Crown corporation, facilitates trade through sales from Canadian businesses to foreign governments. The organization works with international trade and financing partners to help Canadian companies reduce risk and increase their exports through advisory services and its government contracting model.
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Private partners for the startups new project include Montreal-based Telesystem Space Inc. and the Space Alliance of Europe. The Space Alliance is a strategic partnership between the major industrial groups in the aerospace industry of Italy and France. NorthStar said the agreement will provide the company with new advisory services as well as existing partners, including the federal government and the Government of Quebec, each of which has committed $13 million CAD to date.
“We thank the government of Canada and the CCC for their support,” said Stewart Bain, CEO of NorthStar Earth and Space. “Working with an organization like CCC helps Canadian innovators like NorthStar facilitate engagement with international governments as we accelerate our growth and work towards our goal of empowering humanity to preserve our planet.”
Image courtesy NorthStar