” Its SKY CANVAS platform delivers the world’s first artificial meteor displays to engage public curiosity, while the atmospheric data collected supports climate‑change research. Partnering with JAXA and leveraging open‑innovation expertise, ALE has successfully deployed two satellites (ALE‑1 and ALE‑2) and operates under rigorous safety standards.
Funding
$22M raised to dateRaised to date based on public sources. This may differ from the amount the company actually raised and is based only on what is publicly available on the internet.
Founders
Product
Problem
Public access to large‑scale, awe‑inspiring night‑sky displays is limited to natural meteor showers, which are unpredictable and occur infrequently, reducing opportunities for widespread public engagement with space. Simultaneously, atmospheric data needed for climate‑change research are sparse, especially in the upper atmosphere where traditional ground‑based sensors cannot reach.
Solution
ALE operates small artificial satellites that release engineered particles to create controlled “artificial shooting stars” visible over a 200 km diameter area, providing scheduled, repeatable night‑sky spectacles. The satellites carry sensors that record the particles’ trajectory, luminosity, and interaction with the middle atmosphere, generating high‑resolution atmospheric data. This dual‑purpose platform, branded as SKY CANVAS, delivers entertainment events while simultaneously collecting climate‑relevant measurements. Data are transmitted to ground stations, processed, and made available to researchers through a cloud‑based analytics portal. By adhering to stringent safety standards and ensuring all released particles burn up between 60 km and 80 km altitude, ALE offers a safe, environmentally responsible service.
Target Audience
Primary customers include event organizers, municipalities, and tourism agencies seeking large‑scale night‑sky experiences, as well as atmospheric scientists, climate‑research institutions, and aerospace agencies requiring high‑altitude atmospheric observations.
Features
- Small low‑Earth‑orbit satellites (~400 km altitude) equipped with a particle‑release mechanism that generates visible artificial meteors lasting ~15 minutes per event
- Precise timing and targeting system enabling coordinated displays over specific geographic regions
- Onboard instrumentation that captures particle flight dynamics and atmospheric emission spectra for upper‑atmosphere profiling
- End‑to‑end data pipeline delivering processed atmospheric datasets (e.g., temperature, density, composition) to a cloud analytics platform
- Compliance with international space‑flight safety regulations, including complete burn‑up of particles and satellite de‑orbiting to avoid space debris
- API access for integration of display schedules and atmospheric data into third‑party event planning or research workflows