Hydrosat, a provider of geospatial data analytics, has launched VanZyl-1, its first proprietary satellite equipped with a thermal infrared camera. The satellite was carried on Loft Orbital's YAM-7 spacecraft and launched on SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.

VanZyl-1 is designed to provide high-resolution thermal imagery and insights into land and water. The satellite will measure water stress in agriculture and combat the effects of climate change by giving detailed thermal imagery for farmers, government agencies, and researchers.

Hydrosat claims that the data collected by VanZyl-1 will improve agricultural and climate models, transform understanding of resource management, and enable more precise decision-making to address critical global issues. To provide global coverage, the company plans to operate a 16-satellite constellation in sun-synchronous low-Earth orbit.