Maxar Intelligence has successfully signed multiple contracts valued at $35 million to deliver satellite imagery and analytics to two Asia-Pacific governments. These agreements represent a strategic move in enhancing the region’s geospatial capabilities.
The contracts, disclosed on December 19, involve providing access to Maxar’s latest WorldView Legion satellites and synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data through its partner, Umbra. The WorldView Legion satellites offer high-resolution Earth observation capabilities while SAR technology enables imaging through challenging conditions such as cloud cover and darkness.
These agreements fall under Maxar’s ‘direct access program,’ which provides customers the ability to directly control satellite operations via their ground stations. This program allows for real-time data acquisition, with image capture requests possible just 15 minutes before they are needed.
Anders Linder, general manager of Maxar’s international government business, emphasized that these contracts cater to the growing demand for commercial geospatial insights. The company is capitalizing on the need for enhanced surveillance and monitoring capabilities by partnering with private sectors.
Linder noted that Maxar’s expansion in the Asia-Pacific is driven by increased investments from governments aiming to bolster sovereign capabilities. However, due to the sensitivity of the information, specific countries involved remain undisclosed.
The ‘virtual constellation’ model that Maxar employs integrates partnerships with various satellite operators like Umbra and Satellogic. This allows Maxar to provide a wider array of satellite imaging capabilities, coupled with AI-powered analytics for comprehensive data interpretation.
Maxar’s analytics services include more than just raw imagery. Customers benefit from detailed inventories and classifications of identified objects, such as military assets detected in images. This prioritization is based on the contracted satellite capacity, enabling efficient tasking and data retrieval.
Maxar’s strategic contracts in the Asia-Pacific region signify a growing reliance on commercial satellite technology for enhanced geospatial intelligence. As international demand for sophisticated monitoring increases, Maxar’s comprehensive satellite services continue to play a pivotal role in regional surveillance strategies.
Source: Spacenews
