OroraTech
TUM spin-off operating a constellation of thermal-infrared satellites for wildfire detection; 20 satellites in orbit as of October 2026, plus Greece's national wildfire constellation.
- Sector
- Space
- Headquarters
- Munich, Bavaria
- Founded
- 2018
- Ownership
- Private, venture-backed
- Known for
- FOREST thermal satellites
- Website
- ororatech.com
- Topics
- wildfire detection thermal infrared satellites Earth observation TUM spin-off
What they do
OroraTech detects and tracks wildfires from space. Its small satellites carry thermal-infrared cameras that see heat rather than visible light, so fires show up through smoke and at night. Data from its own satellites is combined with public sources and hosted sensors, analysed automatically and delivered as alerts to fire services, forestry companies and governments. TUM reported in 2026 that the satellites can detect fires as small as a car.
Why it matters
Most public Earth observation satellites pass over a given point only once or twice a day, often at times when fires are less active. OroraTech's strategy is revisit rate: many small satellites in different orbital planes so that a region is observed several times a day, including the afternoon peak. In October 2026 the launch of FOREST-20 brought its network to 20 satellites in orbit, with the company noting 18 thermal satellites launched in 18 months. In May 2026 four satellites built for the Hellenic Space Center launched as Greece's first dedicated wildfire constellation, and in June 2026 OroraTech was selected for NASA's Commercial Smallsat Data Acquisition programme.
Products to know
- FOREST satellites: see our product profile.
- Wildfire Solution platform: the software layer that turns hotspots into alerts and maps.
The German angle
OroraTech is a product of the Technical University of Munich's student space scene. Three of its four founders met while studying electrical engineering or informatics at TUM and developed the idea in the WARR student group that built the MOVE-II CubeSat; the company was incorporated in 2018. TUM gave it its Presidential Entrepreneurship Award in 2026. Investors include the BNP Paribas Solar Impulse Venture Fund and Rabo Ventures, which led a 37 million euro Series B in 2025. Operations now span the US, Canada, Australia, Brazil and Greece, but satellite design and data processing remain anchored in Munich.
Sources
Star products by OroraTech
Stories
Why Germany's deep-tech founders cluster around Munich, Aachen and Dresden
Three cities produce a striking share of Germany's hardware start-ups. The reasons are older and more specific than talent alone, and the failures of Lilium and Volocopter show the limits.
Twelve German deep-tech startups building real hardware
Photonic processors, e-fuel plants, wildfire satellites, graphene chips and heat batteries: twelve young German companies whose products you can weigh, install or launch.
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Last reviewed 4 November 2026. Main source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OroraTech. Something out of date? Suggest a correction.