Orbital Sentry has closed a pre-seed financing round to develop persistent infrared imaging systems designed to operate from geosynchronous orbit.
Ridgeline led the round, with participation from Superorganism and Hustle Fund. Orbital Sentry did not disclose the amount raised.
The company is developing a dual-use platform for defense, wildfire detection, industrial monitoring, severe weather tracking and other applications requiring continuous observation of events on Earth.
Orbital Sentry’s satellites are intended to operate in geostationary orbit, moving in alignment with Earth’s rotation so that each satellite maintains a continuous view of the same geographic region.
Unlike lower-orbiting satellites that provide images only when passing over a location, the company’s system is designed to produce persistent infrared observations and provide information closer to real time.
For defense customers, Orbital Sentry plans to offer commercial overhead persistent infrared capabilities supporting missile-launch detection, warning systems and battlespace awareness.
Its initial commercial platform, Fire Sentry, is being developed to detect wildfires within seconds of ignition and track their progression continuously.
The company believes earlier detection could help firefighters respond while fires are still small and easier to contain. Potential customers include first responders, utilities, insurers, reinsurers, financial institutions and government agencies.
Additional uses could include monitoring industrial facilities, natural systems, critical infrastructure, severe weather and other risks. Orbital Sentry also expects the dense time-series data generated by the platform to support AI and predictive analytics applications.
The financing will fund initial development of Orbital Sentry’s imaging sensor and the expansion of its early commercial and government partnerships.
KEY QUOTES:
“The government has utilized the unique value of persistent overhead infrared for decades. Orbital Sentry is commercializing that capability for the first time. The applications span defense and a full range of industries that can capitalize on real-time intelligence leveraging these same sensors.”
Ryan Clinton, Managing Partner at Ridgeline
“Orbital Sentry’s technology addresses a critical data gap at the core of wildfire management, where the difference between a contained fire and a catastrophic one can be a matter of minutes.”
Tom Quigley, General Partner at Superorganism
“We’re building an entirely new space capability, the first commercial infrared geosynchronous imaging platform, which will enable a true livestream of the Earth.”
“Our ability to detect a wildfire in its first seconds and deliver that intelligence to anyone who needs it is going to change the way we combat our ongoing wildfire crisis.”
Dr. Mark Keremedjiev, CEO of Orbital Sentry
