Omega teams up with pioneering start-up Privateer to ensure a more safe and sustainable future in space
Omega is well-known for sending a watch to the Moon, with its Speedmaster accompanying the intrepid astronauts on the Apollo 11 mission in 1969. Yet this landmark extraterrestrial adventure represents only a small fraction of the watchmaker’s legacy in space exploration, which it is continuing to this day with an innovative new collaboration.
It sees the company team up with Privateer, the brainchild of Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, Ripcord CEO and founder Alex Fielding, and astrodynamicist and space environmentalist Dr Moriba Jah. Together they are pioneering the use of data to tackle the issue of “space junk”, to help ensure a more sustainable future.
From left: astrodynamicist and space environmentalist Dr. Moriba Jah, Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, and Ripcord CEO and founder Alex Fielding
Approximately 40,000 pieces of such human-made junk are currently being tracked as they orbit the Earth. However, this only includes objects larger than 10cm; there are estimated to be hundreds of thousands of other hazards that remain unidentified. As we increasingly rely on satellites for crucial communication, positioning and climate monitoring services, it becomes more important than ever to accurately track and record this debris.
While Omega’s space background makes it the perfect partner for Privateer’s new programme to map objects in orbit, it also taps into the watchmaker’s considerable conservation initiatives both on this planet, and now beyond.
‘We’re thrilled to partner with Omega for the launch of Privateer’s proprietary knowledge graph technology,’ Fielding said. ‘Omega has deep roots in exploration of land, sea and space, and, with their support, Privateer will be able to further humankind’s exploration and understanding of this ultimate frontier.’
