OroraTech achieves first light from the Kepler Network
This first look shows what a thermal global live stream looks like
OroraTech achieves first light from the Kepler Network
This first look shows what a thermal global live stream looks like
May 15th, 2026 - Munich/Denver - OroraTech, the global leader in thermal intelligence, is today announcing the first light from its thermal payloads hosted on the Kepler Network, marking a key milestone in scaling global thermal intelligence. A fast and continuous stream of intelligence from orbit.
The fire detection above is unique in that no other low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite detected it. After checking with other publicly available satellites, the only other sensor to detect it was a GOES-19 sensor geostationary (GEO) satellite at a very coarse resolution. This fire only burned for about 100 minutes, directly within the Afternoon Gap - yet we were still able to detect. This shows how powerful our sensors are, as we are adding thermal anomaly data and fire detections that no other provider can. Below, you can see the LWIR live view of the same image above.
“Traditional Earth observation captures isolated snapshots. With this architecture, we move to continuous, wide-area monitoring, delivering actionable thermal intelligence across entire continents in near real time,” said CTPO of OroraTech Ignacio Zuleta. “This milestone validates not just the performance of our sensors, but the scalability of our hybrid constellation strategy, combining owned and hosted payloads to accelerate global coverage.”
“OroraTech is setting a new benchmark for real-time environmental intelligence,” commented Mina Mitry, CEO & Co-Founder of Kepler. “By leveraging Kepler’s optical data relay network and on-orbit compute infrastructure, this partnership shows how the industry can move beyond delayed data access to truly live insights from space.”
In January this year, OroraTech successfully deployed four SAFIRE Gen4 thermal sensor payloads aboard Kepler Communications’ next-generation satellites via SpaceX, marking a pivotal step toward the world’s first thermal livestream from orbit. Utilizing Kepler’s high-speed optical communications network, these on-orbit processed insights will provide persistent, real-time infrared intelligence, enabling rapid wildfire detection and continuous thermal monitoring across the globe.
OroraTech’s proprietary SAFIRE Gen4 sensor is a flexible, space-qualified thermal imaging system designed for durability and compatibility across nearly any orbital platform. The SAFIRE family of thermal sensors is flight-proven on both OroraTech and partner satellites currently in orbit, making it the most widely deployed commercial thermal imaging solution to date. Integrated with Kepler satellites, the latest Gen4 sensors deliver the fastest thermal anomaly detection available, providing high-resolution data that significantly enhances environmental monitoring and analysis.
The story is simple: this is the first look at what happens when thermal Earth observation becomes live.
About OroraTech
OroraTech is a global intelligence-as-a-service company leveraging thermal data for a sustainable Earth. Its Wildfire Solution platform is powered by high-resolution thermal data from proprietary and public satellite systems, delivering real-time situational awareness and predictive insights. Founded in 2018 and headquartered in Munich, Germany, OroraTech operates in North America, South America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific.
About Kepler Communications
Kepler Communications Inc. is a satellite telecommunications provider on a mission to deliver real-time access to space data. With 33 satellites launched to date, Kepler operates the first commercial optical data relay constellation, enabling real-time, continuous space communications while supporting advanced on-orbit compute and hosted payload capabilities. Kepler has achieved industry-leading milestones, including the first commercial on-orbit demonstration of SDA-compatible optical inter-satellite links and successful space-to-air and space-to-ground optical communication demonstrations. Headquartered in Toronto, Canada, Kepler is building a global company to enable communications for the future space economy.
Media Contacts:
Zach Ricklefs
Senior Communications & Content Manager, OroraTech
zach.ricklefs@ororatech.com
Crystalyn Koch
Strategic Communications Manager, Kepler
ckoch@kepler.space