Space Inventor’s AI-powered Bifrost In-Orbit Demonstrator spacecraft (Provided by Space Inventor)

Danish satellite company Space Inventor is teaming up with Addvalue for a mission that aims to show tactically smarter Earth Observation (EO) in the area of maritime surveillance. A new partnership between the two companies will see IDRS deployed for the AI-powered Bifrost In-Orbit Demonstrator mission, due to launch in 2025. The two companies announced the partnership, June 4.

Bifrost is a single-satellite, technology demonstration project commissioned by the Danish Ministry of Defense. Its objective is to explore space-based surveillance of the Arctic region around greater Denmark (including the Faroe Islands and Greenland) by leveraging multispectral optical imaging, radio signals and AI over edge processing. This will detect ships and deliver near real-time early warning for defense and coastguard authorities. Bifrost’s micro-sat class satellite will operate in a sun synchronous polar orbit at 525-575 km with an expected life expectancy of five years.

The IDRS solution aims to make all this possible using what it claims is the world’s only ‘always- on’, on-demand, real-time connection for any LEO satellite. This enables access to 24/7 data connection and transfer services with LEO satellites across all orbital inclinations up to altitudes of 1000 km and removes the need for restrictive earth station scheduling for managing or tasking any LEO satellite constellation. This is achieved through connecting to the Viasat global L-band constellation of GEO satellites and its broadband global area network (BGAN) ground infrastructure to deliver reliable, secure coverage and connectivity in near real time.

“Bifrost is a project of great strategic importance for Space Inventor, and together with the advanced sensors and AI, IDRS will play an important role in securing essential real-time surveillance data in the vast maritime regions of Denmark,” Karl Kaas, CEO and Founder, Space Inventor, said in a statement.