Suhora, OSK partner to put India on hyperspectral map, tackle key issues

Suhora Technologies has teamed up with Orbital Sidekick to introduce high-resolution hyperspectral satellite services in India, enabling the identification of rare earth minerals, methane leaks, etc

Suhora Technologies, a leading India-based space data analytics company, on Tuesday announced a strategic partnership with US-based Orbital Sidekick (OSK) to introduce first-of-its-kind high-resolution hyperspectral satellite services in India. Through this, India will be able to identify rare earth mineral reserves, detect methane leaks from space, and monitor various other geological developments.

 

This landmark agreement makes Suhora the first Indian company to offer commercial operational hyperspectral data of wide-spectrum (VNIR-SWIR), marking a significant leap forward for the nation’s earth observation and geospatial data analytics capabilities.

 

Through this partnership, Suhora will integrate OSK’s advanced hyperspectral imagery into its flagship SPADE platform. SPADE is a subscription-based SaaS platform that simplifies access to multi-sensor satellite data (SAR, Optical, Thermal). With the addition of hyperspectral data, SPADE will soon provide users with unprecedented capability for detailed material detection and classification, supporting critical applications in geological and mineralogical areas (different types of mineral classification, rare earth mineral mapping, petrological mapping), environmental applications (methane leak detection, oil spill thickness estimation, etc.), and a range of strategic applications.

 

“This partnership with Orbital Sidekick marks an important step for the global geospatial community. As the adoption of satellite data analytics continues to grow across industries worldwide, there is a rising demand from enterprises and government agencies for high-quality hyperspectral satellite imagery. The strategic applications enabled by this collaboration stand to benefit users globally, including India, by supporting smarter, data-driven decision-making and enhancing geospatial capabilities," said Krishanu Acharya, chief executive officer and co-founder of Suhora Technologies. 

 

Orbital Sidekick’s sensors acquire hyperspectral imagery in up to 472 contiguous spectral bands at a high spatial resolution of 8.3 metres. Public sources such as Germany’s EnMAP, Italy’s PRISMA, and NASA’s EMIT have been instrumental in providing hyperspectral data, and OSK’s higher spatial resolution and more frequent revisit times further enhance the capabilities. In addition, OSK’s capability to cover the entire VNIR/SWIR spectrum with 472 bands gives it an edge over other commercial global hyperspectral satellite data providers. With OSK’s GHOSt constellation of five hyperspectral satellites, Suhora’s users will benefit from better revisit rates and the most comprehensive hyperspectral coverage available commercially.

 

“The addition of hyperspectral data to our SPADE platform will empower our users to unlock new insights, from precise mineral mapping to real-time environmental monitoring to anomaly detection. The high spatial and spectral resolution offered by OSK’s GHOSt constellation will set a new benchmark for satellite analytics in India and the wider region," said Rupesh Kumar, chief technology officer and co-founder of Suhora Technologies.

 

“Orbital Sidekick is incredibly excited to partner with Suhora to bring our high-resolution hyperspectral data and analytics capabilities to the rapidly growing Indian market. India presents immense opportunities for the application of this technology across critical sectors. Suhora's strong local presence and expertise will be instrumental in delivering these powerful insights and driving significant value for our clients," said Tushar Prabhakar, co-founder and chief operating officer of Orbital Sidekick.