Industry-First Near Real-Time Orthorectification and Geolocation Directly in Orbit Transforms Speed-to-Insight for Earth Observation Missions
PCI Geomatics (DBA CATALYST), a leading provider of Earth observation analytics and intelligence solutions, today announced the delivery of industry-leading edge processing capabilities to produce highly accurate imagery directly onboard satellites in near real-time. This advancement optimizes data processing, enabling smarter use of a satellite's power and processing budgets, without sacrificing on performance.
Traditionally, Earth observation satellites downlink raw images that must be corrected and georeferenced on the ground before they can be used operationally. This requires extensive ground-segment infrastructure, high downlink bandwidth, and specialized post-processing teams - limiting how quickly imagery can support mission-critical decisions. As more satellites are launched, available bandwidth must be shared across constellations, compounding delays.
CATALYST addresses these challenges by integrating advanced orthorectification and geolocation algorithms into an efficient onboard pipeline, optimized for the latest generation of radiation-tolerant processors. This capability unlocks the ability to drastically reduce latency in detections and enable real-time decision making, enabling new Concepts of Operations (CONOPS).
June McAlarey, CEO at PCI Geomatics said:
"Speed to insight is the defining challenge for modern Earth observation. CATALYST edge processing capabilities represent over 40 years of photogrammetric expertise, hyper-optimized for space. Data providers don’t need to trade quality for speed - we deliver both."
The solution has demonstrated the ability to process imagery through a complete pipeline, from raw sensor data to analysis-ready, map-accurate products, in seconds, not hours. By filtering and prioritizing data before transmission, only the most critical information is downlinked, massively reducing bandwidth requirements and enabling more frequent acquisitions.
Core Capabilities of CATALYST Edge Processing Include:
Processing at the speed of collection: Denoising, band-to-band registration, geolocation, and orthorectification in seconds, delivering analysis-ready imagery directly from orbit.
Multispectral Support: Full 8-band processing capability, advancing beyond competitive solutions limited to fewer bands, with no compromise on speed or accuracy.
AI-Ready Architecture: Optimized processing leaves power and compute budgets available for onboard AI analytics, enabling tip-and-cue operations and direct-to-customer data delivery.
Bandwidth Optimization: By processing and filtering data in orbit, operators can dramatically reduce downlink requirements while increasing mission value.
Sensor-Agnostic Design: Configurable workflows support diverse satellite platforms and mission requirements, from small-sat constellations to government programmes.
Kevin Jones, Chief Product Officer at PCI Geomatics said:
"Every second saved in processing translates to real operational and commercial value for satellite operators. CATALYST enables constellation operators to filter out unusable data before it consumes precious storage and bandwidth, which represents significant cost savings and operational efficiency."
The solution addresses critical needs across defence, disaster response, maritime awareness, and commercial Earth observation markets where time-to-insight directly impacts mission success. Early applications include disaster response scenarios where minutes matter, defence and surveillance operations requiring rapid intelligence delivery, and commercial constellation operators seeking to maximise satellite productivity.
CATALYST Edge Processing capabilities are available for integration into satellite missions at design or build stage, with demonstration capabilities available on x86 systems and ARM support.
The solution builds upon CATALYST's proven heritage processing imagery from more than 70 aerial and satellite sensors across 30,000+ licenses in over 150 countries worldwide.
CATALYST Edge Processing In The News
See additional coverage from MSN, Canadian Defence Review and Space & Defence.
MSN: Satellites that think for themselves: How CATALYST is bringing real-time image processing to orbit
PCI Geomatics, operating under the name CATALYST, has unveiled what it calls an industry-first capability: satellites that process there own images while still in orbit, delivering map-accurate, analysis-ready data to customers in seconds rather than hours.
Canadian Defence Review: CATALYST announces Real-Time Technology to Process Earth Images in Orbit
PCI Geomatics (DBA CATALYST), a Canadian leader in satellite imagery solutions, announced a breakthrough that allows satellites to process images while in orbit- delivering usable data to customers in seconds rather than hours or days.
Space & Defence: CATALYST Optimises Satellite Performance with In-Orbit Edge Data Processing
PCI Geomatics, operating under the CATALYST brand, has announced the delivery of new in-orbit edge data processing capabilities designed to optimise satellite performance and dramatically reduce the time required to generate usable Earth observation imagery.