Xplore unveils colorful hyperspectral views captured by its planet-watching satellite
Bellevue, Wash.-based Xplore has released the first hyperspectral images from its XCUBE-1 satellite, six months after the shoebox-sized spacecraft was sent into orbit.
The pictures, captured with a resolution of 5 meters (16 feet) per pixel, show a river in Arizona, rugged terrain in Saudi Arabia, farmland in Uzbekistan and a settlement in Inner Mongolia — with each image color-coded to reflect wavelengths that go beyond what the eye can see.
Such images can be used to assess agricultural crop health, moisture levels and other characteristics of a given terrain. Thermal infrared imagery could be used to track the spectral signatures of seagoing vessels or overland shipments as part of a campaign to crack down on illegal trafficking. For military applications, hyperspectral images could point to newly laid minefields or see through camouflage. And for space applications, Xplore's multi-sensor imaging system could be turned to track other satellites
'Xplore is focused on providing high-quality data products for our customers and partners,' Jeff Rich, co-founder and CEO of Xplore, said today in a news release. 'Our imagery is outperforming expectations, and its exceptional quality stems from the sophisticated ground calibration of our instruments and data processing pipeline. We expect demand for high-quality hyperspectral imagery to expand rapidly in multiple domains.'
Two years ago, Xplore won a study contract from the National Reconnaissance Office to look into potential applications for hyperspectral imaging. Last December, XCUBE-1 was launched into low Earth orbit on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket as part of the Bandwagon-2 satellite rideshare mission.
Xplore says it's been sharing its initial data and exploring use cases with key customers and partners. The company plans to send future satellite platforms into Earth orbit and to other destinations to execute on its 'Space as a Service' business model.
'We're thrilled with Xplore's progress and are thankful for our talented team and partners,' Xplore co-founder and chief operating officer Lisa Rich said. 'Their hard work and dedication are clearly reflected in the outstanding imagery we're producing. We now invite customers to request data samples to assess our data for their programs and projects. The use of these data products will be crucial to produce insights, perform change detection and identify anomalies that are critical to our customers' applications.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Travel Weekly
7 hours ago
- Travel Weekly
Premium partnerships are forged at the debut GTM Luxury
PHOENIX -- The clock strikes 10:16 a.m. and the room buzzes with handshakes, introductions and the swapping of business cards. At the JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort & Spa here, the inaugural GTM Luxury, hosted by Northstar Travel Group (Travel Weekly's parent company), with its speed-dating-style approach to meetings between travel advisors and suppliers, is in full swing. The minutes fly by, but it's enough time to form relationships. GTM Luxury is the newest rendition of Northstar's invitation-only Global Travel Marketplace events. To be selected to attend, advisors must sell at least $1 million annually to clients who spend a minimum of $1,000 per person, per day; have at least two years of experience selling luxury travel; and have a roster of high-net-worth clients. At her table at the JW Marriott's conference center, Kristen Buckshire, who owns Travel Ease and is based in Augusta, Ga., has 52 appointments over two days with luxury-focused suppliers. Buckshire, who specializes in luxury family travel, is meeting with brands like Rental Escapes, Crystal and Scenic Luxury Cruises. While meeting with Arts & Leisure Tours, Buckshire tells the tour operator it may be a match for a client who wants to plan a multigenerational trip to Grand Cayman. "It seems like they have a good pulse on the luxury experience," Buckshire later says of Arts & Leisure, adding that she didn't currently have a good supplier for custom Caribbean trips. Kristen and Justin Buckshire of Travel Ease and Margaret's Travel at GTM Luxury in Phoenix. Photo Credit: Brinley Hineman She has a similar reaction to Titanium Tours, a luxury DMC for Spain, Portugal, France and Switzerland. While still at GTM, she has already texted clients about the brand. Buckshire, who is on track to sell $5 million to $6 million in travel this year between Travel Ease and the recently acquired Margaret's Travel, has attended other GTM events but was drawn to the luxury-focused version to meet suppliers who understand the experience her clients crave. "They need something very curated -- very high-end -- to feel like they are getting that experience and leaving their kids with that legacy of travel," she says. In searching for suppliers, Buckshire says she and her husband, Justin, who left his corporate job to oversee Margaret's Travel, are on the hunt for "authenticity": suppliers with unique experiences that can't be replicated. GTM Luxury was created to meet the soaring luxury travel demand, said Alicia Evanko-Lewis, executive vice president of events for Northstar. And more are planned: The next GTM Luxury will be in January in Los Angeles, and GTM Luxury APAC is on tap in Singapore in April. Travel advisor Jami Turner of The Travel Fanatic, left, poses with Robin and Stella Mountain of Ntaba African Safaris. Photo Credit: Brinley Hineman A match made at GTM Immediately after Stella and Robin Mountain of Ntaba African Safaris, a tour operator, sit down at Jami Turner's table, the advisor asks: "Next safari, what are we doing?" Turner, the owner of The Travel Fanatic in Odessa, Texas, is using one of her six-minute appointments to begin brainstorming a 2028 safari with the Mountains, with whom she connected at a previous GTM and sent a group on safari with earlier this year. Turner, who is set to do $2 million in sales this year, mostly in group travel, says planning a group safari trip was a leap of faith, but she feels confident in the operator since it was vetted by the GTM team. Typically, Turner won't bring a group back to a destination for at least five years after they've visited, but she's breaking the rule for Ntaba African Safaris. "It was that amazing," she says of the safari. "GTM works." Highlights from GTM Luxury 2025 Previous Next The appointment room at GTM Luxury, which kicked off July 28, is abuzz with business between 80 luxury travel advisors and global luxury suppliers. The event promises to build on the GTM concept, which pairs selected, high-producing advisors with suppliers for one-on-one meetings and networking -- but this time, the focus will be on selling luxury travel. Photo Credit: Generikal Design The appointment room at GTM Luxury, which kicked off July 28, is abuzz with business between 80 luxury travel advisors and global luxury suppliers. The event promises to build on the GTM concept, which pairs selected, high-producing advisors with suppliers for one-on-one meetings and networking -- but this time, the focus will be on selling luxury travel. Photo Credit: Generikal Design Cathy Kusuma Bennis of Audley Travel and Jennifer Hand of Champagne Vacations embrace after their 6-minute appointment. Photo Credit: Generikal Design Kiran Nambiar, Chief Strategy Officer, ANZCRO Australia & New Zealand DMC, participates in GTM Luxury Boardrooms, a 30-minute presentation to an intimate group of travel advisors. Photo Credit: Generikal Design Katharina Heuermann of Titanium Tours and Robert Tate of Grand Wailea, A Waldorf Astoria Resort toast to a successful GTM Luxury. Photo Credit: Generikal Design Sanya Weston of Your Premier Tavel Service Group, Debra Lee of the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau and Crystal Armstrong of Visually Rich Travel enjoy the cocktail reception, sponsored by Ship&Play. Photo Credit: Generikal Design The inaugural GTM Luxury kicked off July 28 at the JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort & Spa in Scottsdale, Ariz. The event promises to build on the GTM concept, which pairs selected, high-producing advisors with suppliers for one-on-one meetings and networking -- but this time, the focus will be on selling luxury travel. Photo Credit: Generikal Design The welcome reception at GTM Luxury featured Hawaiian dancing and music, sponsored by the Hawaiian Islands; Grand Wailea, A Waldorf Astoria Resort; the Wailea Beach Resort, Marriott Maui; and the Westin Maui Resort & Spa. Photo Credit: Generikal Design Paula McCarty of Montecito Village Travel – Travel Smart with Paula and Estelle Wilkinson of Wanna Get Away Travel pose together at the GTM Luxury welcome reception. Photo Credit: Generikal Design Glen Rothe, Crystal's vice president of trade sales, North America, speaks to luxury-focused travel advisors during the event orientation. Photo Credit: Generikal Design Brenda O'Neale, the owner of With this Ring Destination Weddings and Honeymoons, enjoys a glass of champagne during a Boardroom presentation at GTM Luxury, courtesy of Visit Napa Valley. Photo Credit: Generikal Design Sam Mosolino of Wishes Travel and Vanessa Seiger of Passport to Dream Vacations toast to a successful GTM Luxury. Photo Credit: Generikal Design GTM Luxury's first day included breakout Boardroom presentations, where advisors like Kim Riddle, a business development manager for the Aruba Tourism Authority, are able to address small groups of travel sellers. Photo Credit: Generikal Design Previous Next
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Yahoo
Lucid Group, Inc. (LCID) Opens Phoenix Hub, Accelerates Gravity SUV Production and Job Growth
We recently compiled a list of the 10 Best Low Cost Stocks To Buy Under $50. Lucid Group, Inc. stands tenth on our list. Lucid Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:LCID) is among the cheap stocks to buy. It is a U.S.-based luxury EV manufacturer known for its Lucid Air sedan and is expanding its footprint with the upcoming Gravity SUV and a growing emphasis on advanced technology. The company operates high-tech manufacturing facilities in Arizona and focuses on performance, efficiency, and premium features. In July 2025, Lucid Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:LCID) launched key updates to its DreamDrive Pro driver-assistance system, including new hands-free driving and automated lane change features. These enhancements, delivered via over-the-air updates, place the company among leaders in driving automation and align with its long-term push toward autonomous capabilities. The corporation also announced that Air owners will gain access to Tesla's Supercharger network starting July 31, 2025, through a NACS adapter. This dramatically improves charging accessibility for LCID drivers and addresses a core challenge for EV adoption. The business expanded its manufacturing capacity with the opening of the Phoenix Hub, acquired from Nikola Corporation. This facility will support the production of the Gravity SUV and a future midsize EV platform, and is expected to create up to 500 jobs over the next few years. On the supply chain front, Lucid Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:LCID) partnered with critical mineral producers to strengthen sourcing resilience and support sustainable vehicle production in the U.S. Looking ahead, the company is ramping up Gravity SUV production and plans a 1:10 reverse stock split aimed at attracting a broader investor base. Additionally, a new marketing campaign featuring actor Timothée Chalamet will debut in fall 2025, reinforcing the corporation's image as a premium, innovative brand. While we acknowledge the potential of LCID as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock. READ NEXT: The Best and Worst Dow Stocks for the Next 12 Months and 10 Unstoppable Stocks That Could Double Your Money. Disclosure: None.
Bloomberg
12 hours ago
- Bloomberg
Rethinking Trade Around the Globe and Satellites Far Above It
Welcome to the Wall Street Week newsletter, bringing you stories of capitalism about things you need to know, but even more things you need to think about. I'm David Westin, and this week and this week we told the story of the D'Addario family music business adapting to the Trump tariffs and of a European satellite company trying to catch up with Elon Musk's Starlink. If you're not yet a subscriber, sign up here for this newsletter. President Trump met his extended deadline of Aug. 1 to impose tariffs on a large number of countries' exports to the US — either by agreement or by unilateral action. As Fed Chair Jay Powell said this week, 'we're still a ways away from seeing whether things settle down.'
