SAN FRANCISCO – Unseenlabs’ next generation of radio frequency-monitoring satellites will observe emitter on land, in the air, at sea and in space.
For example, Unseenlabs’ new satellites will track RF emissions from smartphones and jammers in addition to maritime vessels.
After launching two satellites on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rideshare in March, the French startup operates a constellation of 13 cubesats focused on maritime domain awareness. Four additional Unseenlabs cubesats are slated for launch later this year.
Meanwhile, Unseen labs is investing in a new generation of 150-kilogram satellites scheduled to begin launching in 2026.
“At the end of the journey, we will have a global constellation of around 20 satellites,” Clément Galic, Unseenlabs CEO and co-founder, told SpaceNews at the 2024 GEOINT Symposium in Kissimmee, Florida.
New Generation
Company leaders decided to invest in the new generation of spacecraft after demonstrating its spectrum-monitoring technology in space, Galic said.
“We decided to invest in new birds to continue to perform maritime domain awareness but also to open new verticals,” he added.
Unlike some competitors who pinpoint RF signals with satellites flying in clusters, Unseenlabs zeroes in on RF signals with individual satellites.
“It allows us to be more efficient,” Galic said.
Maritime activity tracking was a frequent topic of conversation at the recent GEOINT Symposium with multiple organizations showcasing their ability to pinpoint vessels. Galic attributes that growing interest to geopolitics.
“Maritime transport is strategic for everyone,” Galic said. “Look at recent disruptions of maritime traffic. People lost billions of dollars and realized we were lacking tools to create safe maritime domain awareness.”
