#44: Mapping Forests in 3D: KappaZeta’s Bold Satellite Mission (feat. Martin Jüssi, Space Mission Manager)

NewSpaceVision

Most satellites see the Earth in two dimensions. But what if we could measure not just the surface, but the height and volume of what covers it - forests, crops, even infrastructure? That’s the mission of KappaZeta, an Estonian startup building a 3D Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) constellation that could transform how we monitor our planet.

In this episode, we sit down with Martin Jüssi, Space Mission Manager at KappaZeta, who takes us on a journey from tinkering with map editors in video games to leading a groundbreaking space mission. We unpack how KappaZeta is turning Europe’s Sentinel-1 satellites into a new kind of forest-monitoring powerhouse, why 3D data is the missing piece for carbon markets, and how Estonia built one of the most dynamic space ecosystems in Europe.

We also dive into:

🌲 How 3D SAR can track forest biomass, carbon stock, and timber resources
🛰️ Why KappaZeta’s “passive satellites” are a cost-effective way to enhance Sentinel-1
⚡ The dual-use potential: from forestry and agriculture to defense and disaster response
🇪🇪 How Estonia went from Skype to space startups - and what’s next