Leading South Australian provider of sovereign satellite missions, Inovor Technologies and the University of Adelaide have joined forces to develop cutting-edge super-resolution imaging technology for small satellites, enhancing their image quality from space.
Cementing South Australia’s reputation as a leader in the global space sector, the collaborative project will accelerate the development of new technology that could benefit a range of industries, such as improving decision-making for Defence and advancing Earth Observation for environmental monitoring and climate change response.
While small satellites, including microsatellites, nanosatellites and CubeSats, offer cost-effective platforms for Earth observation, their size and weight limitations typically constrain their imaging resolution.
The project, which is being funded through the Defence Trailblazer’s Technology Development & Acceleration program, seeks to overcome this challenge by integrating AI-assisted super-resolution algorithms, enabling significant improvements in image quality from low-resolution sensor data.
Inovor will lead the design, production, testing and operation of the super-resolution satellite. The company will collaborate with researchers from the University of Adelaide’s Australian Institute for Machine Learning (AIML), who will design image acquisition procedures and develop the corresponding algorithms.
Inovor Technologies CEO Dr Matthew Tetlow said the company will leverage its proven experience from missions like SpIRIT, Kanyini and Buccaneer, which have been operating flawlessly in orbit.
“By demonstrating sovereign technological prowess in space, we contribute to national resilience and signal to potential adversaries that Australia remains vigilant and ready to defend its interests,” Dr Tetlow said.
