The Canadian Space Agency has awarded NorthStar Earth & Space a contract under its SmartEarth program to develop advanced satellite imaging tools that support Canada’s 2030 Nature Strategy and strengthen the country’s ability to monitor biodiversity and forest health.
Funded through the agency’s Satellite Mobilization for Biodiversity Action initiative, the project will integrate space-based hyperspectral imagery into national environmental databases to improve tracking of forest ecosystems and species distribution.
Forest Ecosystem Protection
NorthStar said the effort will help the Canadian government and scientific community make data-driven decisions on forest conservation and sustainable management, while contributing to global biodiversity goals.
“NorthStar is proud to partner with the CSA and join other Canadian innovators through the SmartEarth initiative to promote the development of applications using satellite data to solve the most pressing challenges facing our everyday lives,” said Nadia Rochdi, Ei2 products executive director. “Satellite imagery delivers critical insight that drives science and innovation in various fields that concern us all.”
Earth Information and Intelligence
The Montreal-based company will leverage its Earth Information and Intelligence platform, using artificial intelligence and multi-source satellite imagery to deliver actionable insights for the forestry, agriculture, maritime and energy sectors.
According to SpaceQ, the CSA selected 20 projects under SAMBA, including NorthStar’s, with each receiving about $178,000 in funding to advance space-based environmental monitoring technologies.