Open Cosmos recently completed the MANTIS mission (Mission and Agile Nanosatellite for Terrestrial Imagery Services), delivering high-resolution Earth observation (EO) data for energy, mining, and environmental sectors. The mission showcases how small satellites can have a large impact while advancing sustainable space operations.
Mission Overview
Launched on 11 November 2023 aboard SpaceX’s Transporter-9, MANTIS was the first ESA InCubed satellite backed by the UK Space Agency. It carried Satlantis’ iSIM90 high-resolution camera and a reconfigurable AI processor from Ubotica.
Over two years, MANTIS completed more than 10,000 orbits, capturing daily high-resolution imagery across half a million square kilometres. Its optics and AI processed raw images into actionable intelligence in near real time, enabling faster, informed decisions in energy, mining, and environmental management.
Mission Objectives and Unique Features
MANTIS aimed to meet customer needs by providing high-resolution EO data for the oil and gas sector and exploring applications for other industries. Its combination of multispectral imaging and onboard AI allowed direct, rapid insights from orbit. It also served multiple commercial and government users simultaneously.
Results Achieved
MANTIS met or exceeded expectations. It demonstrated that small, affordable satellites can provide high-quality, commercially viable Earth imagery. The mission validated Open Cosmos’ end-to-end infrastructure from satellite platform to data processing, supporting future constellation deployments.
Challenges and Solutions
Integrating advanced payloads and AI processing into a small 12U satellite was a key challenge. Teams optimized power, thermal, and data management through careful system engineering, prototype testing, and coordinated partner collaboration. Despite global supply chain pressures, MANTIS launched successfully and operated nominally.
AI Integration
The satellite featured a reconfigurable AI board for onboard image processing and feature identification. Algorithms pre-processed images, prioritized areas of interest, and optimized data downlink, reducing latency and bandwidth needs.
Sustainability Benefits
MANTIS supported environmental monitoring and resource optimisation, such as land degradation assessment, energy infrastructure tracking, and water quality analysis. Its compact design lowered launch mass and energy use. At mission end, MANTIS was passivated and deorbited, leaving no space debris.
Paving the Way for Future Missions
MANTIS de-risked technology and operational models for the Open Constellation and UK Atlantic Constellation Pathfinder. It demonstrated the feasibility of modular, AI-enabled satellites for scalable, multi-partner constellations. The mission helped Open Cosmos secure export contracts in Greece and Spain and provided the foundation for a new generation of small satellite constellations focused on climate, sustainability, and international collaboration.
