Kuva Space, a Finnish company specializing in hyperspectral microsatellites and AI based insights, has successfully launched its second commercial satellite, Hyperfield-1B. This new satellite will help collect important data to support farming, environmental monitoring and ocean research. The satellite was sent into space on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from California, USA. The company confirmed that it made contact with the satellite on June 24, 2025, at 12:58 PM (GMT+3).
Hyperfield-1B, like its predecessor Hyperfield-1A launched in August 2024, is a 6U CubeSat featuring a patented hyperspectral camera. This technology captures imagery across hundreds of spectral bands, enabling detailed monitoring tailored to diverse sectors such as agriculture, aquaculture, environmental surveillance, security intelligence and maritime domain awareness. The satellite is designed to extract meaningful patterns from a wide spectrum of data, which can be used to assess crop health, monitor aquatic ecosystems, detect illegal activity and analyze land and water use.
Kuva Space’s proprietary analytics platform leverages AI to convert raw hyperspectral imagery into decision grade insights in under three minutes from the time of acquisition. This rapid data processing aims to simplify and expedite workflows for clients by providing near instantaneous access to relevant information. For instance, the platform can detect and isolate the distinct spectral signature of illicit crops, making it difficult to conceal them among legal agricultural growth.
Jarkko Antila, CEO of Kuva Space, outlined the company’s strategy to broaden its service footprint.
Hyperfield-1B, our second 1st-generation satellite, will expand our capability to serve a wider geography and customers. We are looking to expand in South East Asia and Australia in the coming months. With this second satellite, we expect to work with many more customers to realize the value of hyperspectral insights for their business. Our efforts to support the defense sector with change and anomaly detection, complementing other sensor modalities, will be accelerated with the launch of Hyperfield-1B, too.”
Aquaculture Monitoring and Ecosystem Management
In the aquaculture sector, Hyperfield-1B will be deployed to gather high resolution data related to water quality, bathymetry, biomass distribution and biodiversity. The satellite’s ability to provide consistent and detailed data streams is expected to improve the modelling of water quality trends and enable early detection of harmful algal blooms. Traditional water sampling methods are often spatially and temporally limited, but hyperspectral satellite imaging offers a broader and more continuous monitoring solution.
This approach is intended to enhance compliance with regulatory requirements, support long term ecosystem preservation, and inform evidence based policy decisions. By integrating this data into operational frameworks, stakeholders can optimize marine and coastal resource management.
Kuva Space’s Strategic Relevance in Agri-Blue Economy
Commenting on the implications for the Asia-Pacific region, Tien Nguyen, Founding Partner of Earth Venture Capital, highlighted the strategic value of Hyperfield-1B. “Hyperfield-1B begins to fill one of Asia’s most costly information gaps: timely, field level climate and ocean signals. We believe Kuva is opening a rapid window into ASEAN’s 100 million smallholder farmers and its US$ 800+ billion agriblue economy,” Nguyen stated.
He emphasized that the platform’s ability to translate over 100 spectral bands into actionable insights in less than 15 minutes can substantially reduce response times from weeks to hours. This time sensitive intelligence could assist farmers, insurance providers and coastal security teams in addressing crop stress, illegal fishing and maritime hazards before these issues escalate.
Next Generation Satellites and Future Plans
Looking ahead, Kuva Space plans to launch between two and six second generation Hyperfield satellites in 2026. These upcoming spacecraft will feature expanded technological capabilities, including onboard data processing, an Automatic Identification System (AIS) receiver, a Very High Resolution (VHR) RGB camera and a Shortwave Infrared (SWIR) hyperspectral camera. These additions are designed to enhance the range and detail of spectral data collected, allowing for more complex analysis and real time insight generation.
With a mass of approximately 60 kilograms, the new satellites will provide broader wavelength coverage and finer spectral resolution. This upgrade is expected to support advanced applications such as soil moisture analysis and vessel rediscovery, expanding Kuva Space’s ability to deliver multi domain intelligence.
To support its growth and technical advancements, Kuva Space has also announced that it will open its Series A funding round in the fall of 2025. The funds raised will be directed towards expanding the satellite constellation and accelerating service deployment across new markets.