The End of Expensive Space Data: NOVI’s Vision for Earth Observation

Spatial Stack with Matt Forrest

What if satellites became as smart and as accessible as your smartphone?

In this episode, I sit down with Michael Bartholomeusz, CEO of NOVI to unpack how Earth observation is being transformed by edge computing in space. We explore the shift from sending terabytes of raw imagery to delivering actionable insights, and why this change could take the cost of analysis from $150,000 down to under $1,000.

Michael shares stories from his 25-year career, from working on the space shuttle that launched John Glenn, to leading NOVI’s dual-use strategy for defense and commercial markets. Along the way, we dive into:

Why the current Earth observation model is broken
How edge computing flips the economics of space data
The “iPhone moment” for satellites and what it means for new applications
Real-world examples of cost savings and new use cases
The industries poised to benefit most — from defense to agriculture to disaster response

This is a conversation about more than satellites. It’s about making Earth observation affordable, democratized, and insight-driven.

NOVI’s Website: www.novispace.ai
NOVI’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/novispace-inc
NOVI’s GENIE™ Constellation Press Release: https://www.newswire.com/news/novi-unveils-genie-tm-a-platform-and-satellite-constellation-that-22622479