Oct 24, 2023

A New Global Perspective

Nuview LiDAR Satellite Constellation

Chris Stokel-Walker

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U.S. Geological Survey/image by Jason Stoker Ph.D.

Satellite imagery helps scientists keep track of how our planet’s natural environment is changing, but it can’t cut through a thicket of tree cover or pick up changes in the dark. Nuview will address those shortcomings with 20 LiDAR satellites that beam a laser pulse down to earth and measure the time it takes to return. From there, the system creates a 3D image of the terrain, eventually mapping the entire surface of the planet. “With every pulse of light, we’re casting a new perspective on Earth,” says Nuview CEO Clint Graumann. The satellites don’t go live until 2025, but Nuview already has $1.2 billion in business agreements, including one with the U.S. Department of Defense.