Ororatech sends small satellites into space

The Munich-based start-up Ororatech is planning to send small satellites into orbit. The first one is due to be launched in just a few months.

Ororatech is venturing into new territories. The start-up plans to send small satellites into space at the beginning of 2022. At least a second satellite is to follow in the same year. This is reported by the website Munich Startup.

Ororatech is working on an early warning system for extreme weather conditions. Until now, these could often only be noticed and reported after hours or days. Ororatech wants to use satellites to detect the sources of fires much earlier and track their development precisely. This should help in the fight on site. The small satellites are to be launched into space using a rocket from a space transportation company.

The start-up has already developed a warning app that can be used all over the world. It combines heat measurements from satellite data with local weather data or camera images, searches for the causes of fires and can send warning notifications. In Canada, Australia, Chile and Brazil, the technology is already being used both officially and privately. Insurance companies and non-government organizations also use the tool.

So far, however, the technology has a weak point: it relies on data supplied by huge satellites from ESA, NASA and others. Due to the position of the satellites, however, there is a time gap in the afternoon - and at the very time when there is a particularly high risk of forest fires. The company's new small satellites, which move in other orbital planes, are now intended to close the time gaps.

Ororatech was already able to secure 5.8 million euros in capital for its project in a Series A round in the summer. At the time, the money came from investment firms Apex Ventures, Fondues Ventures, Bayern Kapital and Ananada Impact Ventures, among others.