If you had told us that 4 days, 14 hours, and 10 minutes after entering orbit we would have a flawless, almost perfect image with no anomalies from our satellite Lemu Nge, we would’ve asked you for a bite of your cookie. But no cookie needed to be harmed to achieve this moonshot, as that’s exactly what happened!
On August 21, 2024, at 11:39 AM UTC, Lemu Nge captured 5000 lines in the Panchromatic band (250nm-625nm), resulting in a 23x28 km image from a 600 km orbit (the distance from Frutillar to Talca) over vineyards north of Lisbon, Portugal.
The 1-band image, displayed in black and white (colorized with AI for entertainment and to simulate surface distinctions), will serve as the basis for future captures using the 32 bands of our hyperspectral camera, capable of distinguishing vegetation, water, infrastructure, and more.
This achievement is extraordinary due to its clarity, less than a week after launch. Results like this typically take months or even years of calibration. Now begins the testing phase with the 32 bands: configuring, calibrating, and synchronizing them, along with the ionic propulsion system, to capture key ecosystems of Chile and the Global South for our biological mission.
This first image was 20 megapixels, reduced to 10 to ease downloading and increase sharpness. At full capacity, Lemu Nge will be able to capture up to 32 gigapixels of a broad spectral range over 2 million hectares of ecosystems on a single pass. All this from a satellite the size of a shoebox that consumes the equivalent of 4 LED light bulbs.
Lemu Nge’s success is due to the collective intelligence of a global team with a common purpose: protecting the future of all living beings. Thanks to everyone who made this possible! Nobody ever achieves anything alone.
(SPOILER ALERT: We are continuing with the tests and already have our first RGB image, but it’s not from Chile yet — lots of clouds lately. More updates soon!)
