British thermal imaging firm SatVu launches HotSat-3, doubling orbital fleet
British company SatVu launched HotSat-3 on 1 October 2026 aboard SpaceX's Transporter-18 rideshare mission, doubling its in-orbit fleet to two satellites. HotSat-3 maps ground heat in thermal infrared and gives SatVu the ability to photograph any spot on Earth once every 24 hours, day or night. The firm has not disclosed military customers but thermal imaging is in demand for targeting and damage assessment.