Thermal imaging satellites detect heat, not visible light. TAPAS-1 carries a long-wave infrared sensor that captures thermal radiation from Earth’s surface and converts it into images showing temperature variations across cities, farms, forests and water bodies.

This matters because heat patterns reveal what optical cameras cannot. A city block that is dangerously hotter than its surroundings signals an urban heat island. Temperature shifts in soil and plants can flag crop stress before it is visible. Hotspots in forests can mean an early wildfire.

SatLeo’s TAPAS-1, launched October 1 on a SpaceX Falcon 9, will orbit 500 km up and feed data for agriculture, urban heat management, water stress monitoring, industrial and disaster monitoring and climate studies. Artificial intelligence can analyse the thermal data for sharper insights.

The satellite is a 3-kg CubeSat-class payload. SatLeo plans eight more by 2029 and a 10-15 satellite constellation, with TAPAS-2 targeted for mid-2027. The mission marks a milestone for India’s private space sector, which is moving beyond launch services into specialised Earth observation.