Duke startup aims to put new satellite technology in orbit – The North State Journal
DURHAM — A Duke University startup backed by more than $7 million in seed funding and government grants is developing satellite cameras designed to capture thousands of images each day, regardless of weather or daylight.
The company is among a growing number of startups commercializing research developed at Duke University.
Extellis, a spinout from Duke’s engineering research, plans to test its technology on a high-altitude aircraft before launching a satellite into orbit, potentially within the next two years.
The company was co-founded by CEO Michael Boyarsky, a former Duke researcher who spent more than a decade developing the technology, and Duke engineering professor David Smith.
Extellis is building a satellite imaging system capable of producing up to 10,000 images a day. The technology uses synthetic-aperture radar, known as SAR, which sends microwave signals toward the Earth’s surface and measures the returning signals to create images.
Unlike traditional optical satellite cameras, SAR systems do not depend on sunlight and can capture images through clouds and at night. Boyarsky said those advantages could make satellite data more reliable in areas that experience frequent cloud cover.
“For a planet covered 70% in cloud cover and 50% in nighttime, optical cameras are not able to be persistent or reliable,” Boyarsky told Axios.
He said places such as Singapore can experience cloud cover 90% to 95% of the time, limiting how often optical satellites can produce clear images.
Extellis raised $6.8 million from investors last year, including local groups Oval Park Capital and Duke Capital Partners. The company has also received several government grants, including $2.3 million from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.
Shell Ventures, the investment arm of energy company Shell, recently joined the company’s backers. The size of that investment was not disclosed.
While satellite imaging has traditionally been used by governments and defense agencies, Extellis sees opportunities in commercial markets. Companies could use frequent satellite images to assess natural disaster damage, monitor shipping routes, track infrastructure or study changes in global supply chains.
Boyarsky said increasing the number of usable images could also lower costs and expand access to satellite data.
“We can take really high volume of imagery, and for me, that opens up a ton of opportunities because the economics change so dramatically,” he said.
The company will use its funding to demonstrate that the system works outside the laboratory. Testing is expected to begin with equipment mounted on a high-altitude airplane, followed by a satellite launch.
