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German technology company LiveEO is launching its own satellite constellation to monitor critical infrastructure, marking a milestone for Germany as a commercial spaceflight location. With this mission, the company closes a key gap in the European market for high-resolution Earth observation data.
The constellation, named Twinspector, enables large-area, high-resolution, three-dimensional observation of the Earth and is specifically designed for monitoring critical infrastructure. Despite a strong space ecosystem, Germany has so far lacked a commercial provider capable of delivering very high-resolution 3D satellite imagery at scale.
“Germany has everything it needs to take a leading role in space,” says Sven Przywarra, co-founder of LiveEO. “With Twinspector, we are building a commercial satellite capability that strengthens Europe’s technological independence.”
Developed from market demand in stealth mode
With Twinspector, LiveEO positions itself as the world’s first fully vertically integrated satellite solution developed specifically to meet the needs of critical infrastructure.
The decision to build its own satellite constellation is the result of strong demand for LiveEO’s AI-powered analytics products. More than three years ago, the company began developing Twinspector behind the scenes. The growing need for satellite-based monitoring of critical infrastructure, particularly in the energy and transportation sectors and now also in the security context, quickly made it clear that existing systems do not sufficiently meet the requirements.
In implementing the project, LiveEO has received support from, among others, Manfred Krischke, who already launched the RapidEye satellite constellation in the late 1990s, which is now regarded as the first truly commercial constellation.
“I have been involved in many commercial space missions, but Twinspector stands out for one decisive reason: the mission is driven by customer needs, not by technology,” says Manfred Krischke. “We translate proven demand into a constellation design that delivers operational value from day one.”
Satellite manufacturing along the German value chain
The constellation is being produced along a strong German value chain. Partners include, among others, Reflex Aerospace, Engineering Minds Munich, and KTO.
“We evaluated more than ten international manufacturers, both for satellite construction and for camera production,” says Daniel Seidel, co-founder of LiveEO. “In the end, the quality of the domestic supply chain convinced us, from the satellite platform to the optics. Germany has an impressive, often underestimated space capability. We are now pooling this strength to realize the world’s most powerful 3D camera.”
“For the technological sovereignty and resilience of Europe’s defense and space infrastructure, it is crucial that we retain the ability to produce and innovate ourselves in Germany and Europe,” says Walter Ballheimer, CEO of Reflex Aerospace. “We are therefore very pleased that LiveEO is relying on a strong partner made in Europe with Reflex Aerospace.”
Independent access to satellite data gains importance
From a geopolitical perspective, independent access to high-resolution satellite data is becoming increasingly important. In many cases, the availability of such data has so far depended on the goodwill of other states. Proprietary, commercially operated capacities are therefore considered an important building block of strategic sovereignty, not least for independent journalism and the reliable verification of information in crisis regions.
Against this backdrop, LiveEO is also deepening its collaboration with WirtschaftsWoche, which has existed since 2019. As part of an exclusive media partnership, the editorial team can commission imagery from the Twinspector constellation and use it in print and digital formats. In the format “Wirtschaft von oben” (“Business from Above”), the magazine has now explained economic relationships in more than 370 episodes using satellite imagery in cooperation with LiveEO. “In our 100th anniversary year, we are making our motto tangible: Think ahead. Move forward,” says Martin Dowideit, deputy editor-in-chief of WirtschaftsWoche.
Technology designed for scale
The camera of a single Twinspector satellite alone has a size equivalent to more than 1,000 CubeSats, enabling exceptionally high-quality imagery. Technologically, Twinspector relies on modern data processing directly in orbit. By using multiple GPUs in each satellite, AI-powered analyses can already be carried out in space, accelerating evaluation and making large volumes of data efficiently usable.
For example, the constellation is capable of measuring the height of 1.1 million trees with an accuracy of around one meter in less than one second, a scale that opens up new applications for infrastructure, environmental, and risk assessments. LiveEO’s long-standing customers already include Deutsche Bahn and E.ON, whose climate resilience and security can be further improved through Twinspector.
About LiveEO
LiveEO is a global leader in Earth Observation technologies, transforming how industries monitor and maintain critical infrastructure. Its AI- and satellite-powered solutions are used by leading utilities to reduce risk, cut costs, and increase grid resilience. To date, LiveEO has monitored more than 1 million miles of infrastructure across five continents, helping organizations move from reactive maintenance to proactive risk management.
