SME uses Horizon 2020 to develop new satellite processor
A Greek SME has announced it has won funding under Horizon 2020’s SME Instrument.
The ‘OP3C’ (On-board Processing for Compression and Clouds Classification in hyperspectral satellite data) proposal by Athens-based small business Planetek Hellas aims to create and launch a product (HW & SW) to be placed onboard satellites that carry hyperspectral sensors. The component would automatically recognise cloud coverage and compress images that these sensors receive. The solution was devised to meet the specific problems faced by manufacturers of hyperspectral sensors for satellites, particularly the atmospheric conditions during the image capture (cloud-cover) and the size of the image itself, which makes transfer to Earth extremely difficult.
Stelios Bollanos, co-founder and director of Planetek Hellas commented: “This is a significant success that brings us closer to the phase 2 of the SME Instrument and the achievement of our objectives in this specific segment of the space market. We are happy to see that our strategic decision to adopt the principles of design thinking in every aspect of our activity is appreciated also by the European Commission. We continue with the same determination, to be able to offer to our customers’ real problem solving technology.”
Planetek Hellas is to be one of only 14 winners of the SME Instrument in the Space category, as well as one of only two Greek participants in any category to be awarded funding. There are three phases of the SME Instrument.
