Latest news with #Longbow
Express Tribune
21-05-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
UAE's Orbitworks reveals AI-driven Altair satellite constellation
Listen to article Orbitworks, United Arab Emirates' satellite manufacturing firm, has revealed plans to launch Altair, a constellation of 10 AI-enabled Earth observation satellites. The satellites will be assembled and integrated at Orbitworks' Abu Dhabi facility, with production beginning in the second half of 2025 and launches expected in 2026, reported TechInAsia. Each Altair satellite will carry advanced multi-sensor payloads including optical, infrared, thermal, hyperspectral, and radio frequency (RF) sensors. They will also feature edge computing capabilities, enabling real-time data processing directly in orbit — a strategic move aimed at accelerating decision-making in critical applications such as disaster response, maritime surveillance, agriculture, and national security. The spacecraft will be built using Loft Orbital's Longbow platform, derived from Airbus' Arrow bus design, and are expected to operate for up to eight years. The Altair constellation is part of the UAE's broader strategy to diversify its economy through investments in high-tech sectors. The country has committed more than $5.5 billion to its space program since establishing the UAE Space Agency in 2014, creating over 1,500 jobs across 57 space-related entities. 'Altair marks a critical step in transforming the UAE from a space technology buyer to a space hardware producer,' said a spokesperson for Orbitworks. Orbitworks' satellite production facility can manufacture up to 50 satellites annually, positioning the UAE as a regional manufacturing hub in the global satellite supply chain. The announcement comes as Middle Eastern government investment in space programs has surged by 175% from 2018 to 2023. The UAE, already known for its Mars Hope Probe and astronaut initiatives, continues to lead regional space efforts with an emphasis on AI, miniaturization, and real-time Earth analytics. The global Earth observation market, especially the segment combining AI with satellite technology, is poised for exponential growth. Industry analysts project the overall satellite manufacturing and launch market to reach $430.8 billion by 2030, up from $278.2 billion in 2025. 'The use of edge AI allows us to overcome the bottleneck of data transmission latency,' said Orbitworks' lead systems engineer. 'This will give users actionable insights much faster than traditional systems.' Each Altair satellite will act as a versatile node in a responsive constellation designed for real-world scenarios, offering governments and commercial users near-instant access to analyzed environmental and geopolitical data.
Al Etihad
19-05-2025
- Business
- Al Etihad
Orbitworks announces plan to build UAE's first AI-powered satellite constellation
20 May 2025 00:34 SARA ALZAABI (ABU DHABI)UAE satellite manufacturer Orbitworks has announced an ambitious plan to build the country's first AI-powered satellite company - formed by Marlan Space and Loft Orbital - unveiled its flagship project at the Make it in the Emirates forum on Monday. With production kicking off this year, the mega-constellation of satellites called Altair is slated for launch in 2026. The first phase will feature 10 AI-powered Earth observation satellites that can support defence, commercial, and civil sectors within the country and abroad. "Altair will have a multi-sensor payload-from optical images to hyperspectral sensor to shortwave infrared, thermal sensor, and RF monitoring capability," Salim Al Alawi, Director for Business Development at Orbitworks, told Aletihad on the sidelines of the forum. The 10-satellite fleet will be built at Orbitworks' new 50,000sqft facility in Kezad, Abu Dhabi. "Orbitworks is making a strategic investment and establishing advances. We would like to reinforce the UAE's capability in space, defence, and aerospace technology manufacturing. We are starting with a 50,000sqft facility we are building here in Abu Dhabi. We're building a state-of-the-art facility that will be able to output 50 satellites per year up to 500kg per satellite," Al Alawi said. The Constellation's CapabilitiesBuilt on Airbus-based Longbow platforms - with the latest sensors and edge computing - the satellites can support disaster response, as well as smart city and maritime surveillance constellation leverages the data-processing power of artificial intelligence to deliver real-time insights to clients across various applications and the Altair series, Orbitworks provides turnkey space solutions, maximising its manufacturing plant to build satellites for its clients from around the world. "Orbitworks is the first commercial satellite manufacturing company in UAE. And this will allow the company, the UAE space players, and the UAE private sector in space to put together end-to-end technologies and solutions that can be exported to the region and global customers," Al Alawi said. The company is looking forward to collaborating with local and international partners to develop and manufacture its satellites. "We would like to enable space access to those who would like to provide services from space," Al Alawi added. Make it in the Emirates Continue full coverage
Yahoo
14-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Ex-Tesla engineers launch luxury electric sports car startup: 'Making every effort to make cars available ... as quickly as possible'
Looks like Tesla needs to watch its back. Longbow, a U.K.-based startup, will release "featherweight" electric sports cars that you can ride in style without worrying so much about your carbon footprint. The company was founded by Jenny Keisu, Daniel Davey, and Mark Tapscott, two of whom are Tesla alumni. Davey, per his LinkedIn, "had two stints at Tesla commercialising the Roadster and then scaling with the Model 3." Tapscott worked at Tesla for seven years, where he successfully launched products and said he "got shouted at by Elon (a lot)." They have developed two models, the Speedster and the Roadster, which are set to be released next year. So far, only U.K. customers can make reservations. The Speedster, which is scheduled to be released first, costs over $110,000. Only 150 models will be made, making it the more exclusive of the two. The Roadster is a bit cheaper, at around $84,000. A set number of models hasn't been announced yet, though Longbow has hinted at a much larger production scale. Both cars will have 240-kilowatt motors. This would put them in direct competition with Tesla, whose second-generation Roadster — though delayed for five years and counting — is rumored to be released sometime this year. (And yes — that is the same name.) Regardless of the manufacturer, electric vehicle sales have been steadily increasing since 2016, with over 1 million being sold in the U.S. alone in 2024. Thanks to cheaper routine maintenance costs and lower pollution rates, people everywhere want to make their next car an EV. If you want to take the Roadster for a spin but live outside the U.K., don't worry. While Longbow's cars will only be available in the U.K. upon release, the company plans to expand. Tapscott told Forbes: "Whilst launching in our home country and Europe, we will be making every effort to make cars available as widely and as quickly as possible." If you were going to purchase an EV, which of these factors would be most important to you? Cost Battery range Power and speed The way it looks Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Korea Herald
10-04-2025
- Business
- Korea Herald
EarthDaily Analytics will Launch Its First Satellite This Summer, Reaches Major Milestone in World's Most Advanced Earth Observation Change Detection System
EarthDaily Constellation Unlocks the Power of Broad-Area Change Detection to Deliver Unmatched Value Across High-Impact Industries VANCOUVER, BC, April 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- EarthDaily Analytics ("EarthDaily"), a global leader in Earth Observation (EO) data and analytics, today announced a major milestone in the development of its groundbreaking 10-satellite EarthDaily Constellation: the company has successfully integrated its first payload with one of Loft Orbital's Longbow satellite buses and completed spacecraft-level environmental testing. This achievement marks a significant leap forward and clears the way for the first EarthDaily Constellation satellite to launch into orbit this summer. The EarthDaily Constellation is poised to redefine Earth Observation in the AI era, unlocking the power of broad-area change detection and daily global revisit. Upon deployment, the EarthDaily Constellation will provide high-quality insights of critical value to high-impact industries, unlocking operational efficiencies, identifying and mitigating emerging and unrealized risks, and understanding the world at a scale and depth previously unavailable in the market. "We are driven by a mission to empower industries and governments with the tools they need to make informed, transformative decisions," said Don Osborne, CEO of EarthDaily Analytics. "The EarthDaily Constellation will deliver unmatched, high-quality data and insights that push the boundaries of what's possible in Earth Observation. Years of planning, groundbreaking science, and cutting-edge innovation come to life in this extraordinary spacecraft. Having reached this critical milestone, we are on the path to fundamentally transforming how our planet is monitored and understood, ultimately empowering our clients to better achieve their most critical objectives." EarthDaily is partnering with industry leaders like Loft Orbital, ABB, and SpaceX to deliver its EO solutions with reliability, innovation, and cost-efficiency. The constellation leverages Loft's Longbow satellite platform, which is based on the flight-proven Airbus Arrow bus platform. "The successful integration and testing of this first satellite is a testament to Loft's space infrastructure model and the strong partnership we've established with EarthDaily Analytics. We can't wait to get to the pad later this year and start unlocking the full potential of the EarthDaily Constellation," said Alex Greenberg, COO of Loft Orbital. ABB, a leading global engineering firm with a best-in-class presence in EO instrumentation, is providing and integrating EarthDaily's high-precision optical imaging payloads. With experience supporting cutting-edge space missions such as the NASA/NOAA Joint Polar Satellite System, as well as a range of innovative private sector satellite projects, ABB brings proven capability to this commercial-first initiative. "It's been an exciting journey developing this revolutionary Earth Imaging payload in close partnership with the EarthDaily team—one designed to deliver exceptional image quality and data accuracy," said Marc-André Soucy, Space and Defense Systems Director at ABB Measurement & Analytics Business Unit. The EarthDaily Constellation overcomes key limitations of both legacy systems and modern cubesat constellations, providing daily, science-grade imagery that simplifies complexity, mitigates risk, and supports critical decisions at global scale. EarthDaily Analytics is a global leader in Earth Observation, providing data and insights that empower industries and governments to make informed decisions for a more resilient future. With the launch of its groundbreaking EarthDaily Constellation, the company is revolutionizing how we monitor, understand, and interact with our planet.
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Ex-Tesla employees aim to launch an electric roadster before Musk can
An automotive startup based in Britain aims to release an exclusive fully electric open sports car before Tesla can deliver its long-promised roadster model. Pre-orders are already being taken by Longbow Motors, which was founded in 2023 by Daniel Davey and Mark Tapscott, former Tesla and Lucid employees who also gained development experience at China's BYD. Production is due to start by 2026. Tesla fans are still waiting for a roadster from the company which was promised by chief executive Elon Musk in 2020 and again last year. Musk went on record as saying that the new Roadster "has to come behind the things that have a more serious impact on the good of the world". Power from an electric motor is not the problem with electrically driven sports cars but rather the weight that hampers performance. Longbow Motors said it wants to counteract this with its concept of "Featherweight Electric Vehicles" (FEV). The lightweight sports car will be available as a roadster and an open Speedster. Both cars should be very quick to to hit 100 km/h although no official figures or detailed specification have been released. The models are based on an aluminium platform which delivers a weight of 995 kilos for the hardtop and 895kg for the open Speedster. "There is a need for a driver-centred, featherweight electric sports car that is affordable and accessible to those who love driving and the places it takes them. That's why we developed Longbow," said co-founder and chief executive Daniel Davey in a release. Davey had been in charge of the launch of the Tesla Model 3 in Europe and was Lucid's first official representative beyond North America. Tapscott worked on the Lotus Elise. The Longbow Speedster is being launched as a limited edition of 150 vehicles at a price of around €102,000. Customers can also reserve the Luminary 1st Edition and Autograph Edition models, which are limited to 10 and 25 units respectively.
