PLATERO

Connecting the World: PLATERO

About PLATERO

Commissioned by the Junta de Andalucia through AGAPA and co-financed by FEDER in the SmartFood project, the PLATERO satellite integrates Earth Observation, IoT, and AI on-board processing. Part of LifeWatch ERIC, it monitors biodiversity, desertification, emergencies, and farming effects to inform environmental policies and promote sustainable farming in the region. 

The satellite addresses key planetary challenges, supported by FEDER’s European Regional Development Fund, emphasising the integration of technology for informed decision-making and environmental preservation.

Comprehensive Environmental Monitoring

PLATERO is a 6U form factor satellite weighing 9kg with double deployable solar panels. PLATERO integrates a multispectral high-performance camera with IoT technology which can communicate with sensors on the ground to perform activities such as monitoring soil moisture, wildlife, water quality or crop water content. 

This edge computing will take place in real-time, removing the process of manual decision-making on the ground. This combination of EO data and IoT, both acquired on the same platform, results in increased efficiency, creating actionable intelligence from the huge reams of data produced by the satellite.

Key Features

Satellite: 6U Cubesat

Partners: Junta de Andalucia through AGAPA

Mass - 9 kg 

Orbit -Sun Synchronous Orbit at 10:30h LTDN above 500 km

Camera - MS100 Simera

Secondary payload: IoT radio and Cognisat XE1 AI board

Solar panels - One single deployable and one double deployable, as well as body-mounted panels. These can raise  up to ~75 W in optimal conditions.

S-band - Two dual-patch S-Band antennas will be used to receive telecommands via the Ground Station Provider and downlink payload and housekeeping data.