Space in focus: The rise of Earth Observation – and other news to watch in frontier tech

As World Space Week wraps up, this edition of the Frontier Technologies & Innovation wrapper dives into Earth Observation's growing role in decision-making for business and policy, while examining its rapidly expanding practical applications – from monitoring climate risks to strengthening food and water security.

We also feature an interview with start-up Constellr on their 'real-time atlas' of the planet’s health, and highlight the latest breakthroughs across frontier tech and climate innovation.

In the 17th century, German astronomer Johannes Kepler wasn't just charting planetary motion. In his novel Somnium (or 'The Dream', written in Latin and often described as the first known work of science fiction), he imagined a voyage to the Moon that would allow Earth to be seen in a new light.

That vision edged closer to reality in October 1946, when US scientists launched a V-2 rocket that captured the first crude image of Earth from space. Sputnik's 1957 launch proved that sustained access to orbit was possible and, in 1960, NASA's TIROS-1 became 'a spiritual predecessor' to today's Earth Observation fleet, showing that satellites could deliver weather imagery with real-world value.

This was followed by Apollo 17's iconic Blue Marble image in 1972, which etched into the public imagination the idea that seeing Earth from space wasn't just possible – it was vital to understanding and protecting it.

Today, as the world reflects on World Space Week (4–10 October), Earth Observation (EO) stands out as one of the most practical and fast-growing applications of space. It is now less about wonder alone and more about harnessing vast streams of satellite data to support real-world decisions – from tracking climate risks to managing resources and infrastructure.

In fact, many tasks are now cheaper to perform from space than from Earth, including monitoring farmland, tracking power systems and discovering new mineral resources. At the same time, EO’s capabilities are expanding with advances in hyperspectral imaging, synthetic aperture radar and algorithmic techniques that reveal the planet's systems in unprecedented detail.

These dynamics reinforce why EO itself is projected to be such a powerful driver of value. According to a new playbook on Earth Observation, published by the World Economic Forum, the industry could add $3.8 trillion to global GDP by 2030, while helping eliminate two gigatonnes of greenhouse gas emissions annually. Yet much of this value remains untapped, in part because adoption lags behind supply-side innovation.

The playbook makes clear the Earth Observation industry is at a crossroads. While commercial players now dominate satellite launches – 90% in 2023, compared to just 15% in 2014 – adoption still primarily clusters around public-sector use cases. To unlock the industry's full value, organizations need to move from experimentation to systematic integration.

The playbook recommends a three-step approach for leaders:

Earth Observation is already proving its worth in areas such as precision agriculture, supply chain monitoring, ESG reporting and early warning systems for disasters. But as the report stresses, adoption requires organizational confidence as much as technical capability.

Dig Deeper:

Start-ups like Constellr are beginning to show how Earth Observation can move from policy frameworks into practical, commercial use.

We spoke with Max Gulde, co-founder and CEO of Constellr, about their 'real-time atlas' of the planet’s health – a system that uses satellites to track the temperature, water and carbon cycles.

➡️ The challenge: understanding Earth’s health

The big challenge Constellr is tackling is how to measure and monitor the planet’s health in real time. Gulde explains that everything comes down to three fundamental systems: the water cycle, the energy cycle and the carbon cycle.

"So if we look at climate change, the basic variable there is temperature. And temperature is influencing these three cycles." That single factor, he notes in an example, affects everything from food security to water use – yet today, there is no consistent, real-time system to measure it at scale.

➡️ The fix: building a real-time atlas of Earth

Constellr’s solution is what Gulde calls an Atlas: "Imagine Google Earth, but imagine it being not three months old or six months old or two years old in data, but being real-time in data. And also not just looking at the visual reality but looking at the physical state of our planet. So what Constellr does is creating exactly that atlas – a real-time digital representation of the health of our planet and we start with temperature as the base variable.”

➡️ How they do it: satellites, software and AI

Constellr has already launched two satellites and is preparing its third. Gulde credits a mix of cheaper launches, technological leaps and AI for making this possible. "One ingredient is that the launch prices came down. Right now, a launch is around 20% of the cost of a satellite, and if you look at the satellite class we are employing – which is about a 100-200kg satellite – it’s not the majority of the cost any more."

"With the technology we're employing, we're able to do similar things as large satellites in performance. And if I say similar, it actually means better, but at less than 1% of the cost. And that obviously is an absolute game changer."

AI plays a role too – not in building the satellites, but in making the data usable:

"A lot of the challenges in the adoption of the technology lie in the fact that it still needs to be tailor-made for the respective customers. Now you can use AI to adapt it relatively quickly and that is a big advantage. So we are heavily employing AI across the value chain, from mission planning to processing and so forth."

➡️ Reality check: scaling under pressure

For Gulde, the real risk is that short-term crises may distract from long-term priorities. “On one hand, what's keeping me up at night is that the short-term challenges are distracting us from the long-term challenges, which are far more important. Whenever we're in panic mode, we're not looking at long-term strategy."

At the same time, he sees opportunity in Europe’s push for sovereignty and dual-use applications of EO data. “The same systems which can detect if there's activity in an ammunition manufacturing site can also solve the long-term challenge we actually have, looking at generational problems like climate change.”

Tune into our livestream session from Dubai, where space leaders talk about the latest plans for space exploration. They'll discuss how some of the most exciting developments – from space research to the latest technologies – can help us tackle challenges on Earth. Speakers include Dava Newman, Apollo Program Professor of Astronautics at MIT, and Steven Freeland, Emeritus Professor of International Law at Western Sydney University.

The first 10 Emerging Technology Solutions for Planetary Health report will spotlight technology solutions that can help the world adapt to climate change, protect nature and build resilience. It will showcase breakthrough science tackling today’s environmental challenges and share strategies for putting these solutions into action while respecting the planet’s limits.

Additional reporting by Rachel Dooley and Pooja Chhabria.