British startup SatVu has secured 20mn (24mn) to fuel the development of its hyper-accurate thermal imaging satellites that act like a thermometer for the whole planet.The cash injection includes 10mn (12mn) in equity from Spanish VC Adara Ventures and British tech-focused fund Molten Ventures. The remainder comes from an insurance payout, the startup said.The funding will propel the launch of two new satellites in its HotSat constellation, which are scheduled to liftoff next year. The probes HotSat-2 and HotSat-3 will replace HotSat-1, SatVus first satellite, launched in 2023. When HotSat-1 launched it was fitted with the worlds highest-resolution, commercial thermal sensor.The camera, developed in collaboration with the European Space Agency (ESA), could deliver thermal data at a 3.5-meter resolution. However, HotSat-1 suffered a major setback just six months into its mission when its sensor stopped functioning.I WANT THE BEST DEALThe satellite was working fantastically, the data was great and the customers were super-excited. To trip up now is deeply frustrating but weve proved the principle and that puts us in a really strong position for the future, Anthony Baker, SatVus founder and CEO, told BBC News at the time.With HotSat-2 and HotSat-3 and a fresh pot of funding SatVu looks to stage a comeback.Baker said the investment would help the startup accelerate its mission to deliver unparalleled thermal insights that empower industries and governments to take decisive climate action. The company eventually plans to deploy a constellation of at least eight thermal imaging probes.SatVus technology has been dubbed the worlds thermometer. It provides near real-time heat maps of the Earths surface. With applications spanning national security, infrastructure monitoring, and climate resilience, the startup claims its technology could guide more targeted climate action and policy decisions.Baker, a satellite expert, founded SatVu in 2016. Headquartered in London, the company mainly comprises a tight-knit team of Earth observation and aerospace specialists. SatVu has raised a total of 64mn (78mn) in funding to date.The latest investment is the first from Adara Ventures Energy Fund. The Madrid-based VC set up the fund this year to invest in cutting-edge technologies that accelerate the energy transition in Europe. The fund has a target size of 120mn. Story by Sin Geschwindt Sin is a climate and energy reporter at TNW. From nuclear fusion to escooters, he covers the length and breadth of Europe's clean tech ecos (show all) Sin is a climate and energy reporter at TNW. From nuclear fusion to escooters, he covers the length and breadth of Europe's clean tech ecosystem. He's happiest sourcing a scoop, investigating the impact of emerging technologies, and even putting them to the test. Sin has five years journalism experience and holds a dual degree in media and environmental science from the University of Cape Town, South Africa. Get the TNW newsletterGet the most important tech news in your inbox each week.Also tagged with