Satellite technology - sustainable use of water in agriculture | Fraunhofer Prize 2023

Water is becoming increasingly scarce. In the future, innovative satellite technology will ensure that plants are given only as much water as they need, leading to a more sustainable use of this essential resource. A prototype of the technology, LisR, has already been tested on the International Space Station (ISS). A team of researchers from the Fraunhofer Institute for High-Speed Dynamics, Ernst-Mach-Institut, @fraunhoferemi6549, the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Optics and Precision Engineering IOF @FraunhoferIOFJena and two spin-offs, constellr GmbH and SPACEOPTIX GmbH, has received the Fraunhofer Prize for Human- and Environment-Centered Technology for this development.
In Germany, it’s taken for granted that there will always be enough water available. However, in the future, this essential resource could become scarce - after all, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change predicts that, due to climate change, the intensity and frequency of droughts will increase along its current trajectory. In addition,
the global population is also continuing to grow. It is estimated that, by 2050, the earth will be home to almost ten billion people - and those people will need food. This will be a challenge, as approximately 70 percent of our drinking water is currently used for irrigation. Most worryingly, 60 percent of this water is wasted due to overwatering.
Researchers from Fraunhofer EMI, Fraunhofer IOF and the companies constellr GmbH and SPACEOPTIX GmbH - both spin-offs of these institutes - have taken inspiration from the founding principle of constellr GmbH to develop the infrared camera LisR (short for Longwave infrared sensing demonstratoR). Following a successful demonstration
on the ISS, the findings from the LisR mission will now be used as the basis for building a satellite constellation. In the future, this satellite constellation will measure the land surface temperature from orbit and help adjust irrigation systems according to the level of water actually needed. As early as 2026, this method could save 180 billion
tons of water and 94 million tons of CO2 per year, while supplying plants with the optimal amount of water could increase global harvests by up to 4 percent. This would produce enough additional food to feed over 350 million people.
More information:
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▬ Fraunhofer Prize for Human- and Environment-Centered Technology ▬
The Human- and Environment-Centered Technology prize is presented by the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten Forschung e.V., the Fraunhofer Future Foundation and the former executive board members, institute directors and patrons of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft. It is awarded every two years for achievements in research and development that improve people’s quality of life or help make our world more sustainable. In 2023, the Fraunhofer Future Foundation is contributing to the prize money, which amounts to 50,000 euros.
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