Clarity-1
Albedo's first satellite, flown in very low orbit to test whether a commercial satellite could survive there and take very sharp pictures. It worked for about nine months before losing contact.
Why it matters
Flying lower gives sharper images from a smaller telescope, but thicker air drags satellites down and erodes them. Clarity-1 tested whether that trade can work commercially.
How the technology works
Clarity-1 launched in March 2025 and flew in very low orbit, where Albedo measured drag at 350 to 380 km. Albedo says drag came in 12% better than its design target, power held steady despite atomic oxygen, and its in-house bus reached flight-proven status.
A suspected radio memory fault ended contact.
Sources
Updated Oct 22, 2026 · How we source facts · Suggest a correction