Cape Town-based Simera Sense one of Africa’s fastest-growing NewSpace companies, announced that it signed a memorandum of understanding with Sen Corporation (“Sen”) for long-term cooperation. The memorandum of understanding follows the signing of an agreement to supply Sen with five xScape200 optical payloads over the next two years. These optical payloads are in the process of being manufactured by Simera Sense in South Africa.
Sen’s first CubeSat will be operational in early 2021. The initial mission will be followed by an additional four satellites each with an xScape 200 optical payload onboard. The memorandum of understanding is looking past the delivery of the first five instruments and addressing Sen’s plan for a more extensive constellation to monitor events on Earth with real-time and timely video.
In the framework of the memorandum of understanding both Simera Sense and Sen intend to work closely and align their goals. The objective is to enable both parties to scale the production of earth observation satellites as quickly as possible in a cost-effective manner.
“Simera Sense focuses on establishing long-term relationships with its customers,” says Johann du Toit, CEO of Simera Sense. “With the signing of this memorandum of understanding Simera Sense and Sen are aligning our long-term objectives. This agreement will allow Simera Sense to keep extending its optical payload production infrastructure in South Africa and provide Sen with the best optical solutions for their needs in an agile manner.”
Charles Black, Founder and CEO of Sen, says: “Following on from our contract for the first five xScape200 optical payloads, we are pleased to enter this understanding for our longer-term ambitions to scale our constellation with Simera’s world-class telescope as our primary optical instrument. Sen requires best in class technology and the xScape200 is the right balance between size, mass and optical performance. Put simply, the xScape200 punches above its weight. Simera Sense has a proven track record of designing and building imagers for space, and we are looking forward to working with them now and in the longer term as we scale Sen’s space TV constellation of video satellites.
