Space Force Assigns Ursa Space to Deliver Analytics to USINDOPACOM Post-Japanese Disaster

Written by Copernical Team Wednesday, 19 June 2024 06:01

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Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jun 17, 2024

Ursa Space Systems, Inc., a leader in satellite insights, has completed a U.S. Space Force Space Systems Command (SSC) task order supporting the US Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM) in response to Japan's recent natural disaster. Ursa Space has provided analysis of commercial space remote sensing data to assess the damage through Operational Planning Products (OPPs). The products supplied inclu

Space Force Assigns Ursa Space to Deliver Analytics to USINDOPACOM Post-Japanese Disaster
by Clarence Oxford
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jun 17, 2024

Ursa Space Systems, Inc., a leader in satellite insights, has completed a U.S. Space Force Space Systems Command (SSC) task order supporting the US Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM) in response to Japan's recent natural disaster. Ursa Space has provided analysis of commercial space remote sensing data to assess the damage through Operational Planning Products (OPPs). The products supplied include analysis and visual outputs from EO, SAR, RF, and other space-based commercial imagery and data to aid allies and partners.

On January 1, 2024, a 7.6 magnitude earthquake hit Japan, causing severe damage in the Ishikawa Prefecture. On January 3, major tsunamis caused significant damage to Suzu City and the surrounding area. The earthquake shook the Noto Peninsula in Ishikawa, collapsing buildings, sparking fires, and triggering tsunami alerts. At least 57 people were killed by the earthquake and subsequent aftershocks, according to a Japanese public broadcaster citing officials from Ishikawa Prefecture.

This short notice task order, requested by the Space Force Component (SPACEFORINDOPAC), provided situational awareness to first responders and informed planning for relief operations. Ursa Space's efforts included identifying and providing assessments for damaged and obstructed roads, ground shift, damaged buildings, potential derelict vessels, flooded areas, concentrations of displaced persons, and damage to critical infrastructure.

Ursa Space's expertise with SAR imagery was critical for this effort due to the extensive cloud cover that persisted for several days over the impacted area after the earthquake. The day/night and all-weather utility of SAR data collection and Ursa Space's extensive experience with analysis of SAR imagery were essential to provide situational awareness that would have been difficult to achieve with electro-optical imaging. Automated analytics for SAR data rapidly provided focus and clarity for the damaged areas, allowing analysts to dedicate efforts to additional analysis within short delivery timelines.

Ursa Space leverages the world's most comprehensive virtual constellation from multiple commercial sources and advanced data fusion capabilities. For this effort, Ursa Space provided orchestration of short-notice imagery collection and resourced data from its virtual constellation of commercial space remote sensing vendors.

Ursa Space's platform orchestrates satellite imagery and analytic services at scale to rapidly deliver insights to customers when needed. As of this announcement, Ursa Space's archive catalog exceeds 48 million data records, with access to 23 of the industry's most trusted satellite imagery providers for new tasking. Ursa Space's deep SAR processing expertise supports advanced analytics using data from further up the vendor processing chain.