IRVINE, CA—ICEYE, which manufactures radar imaging satellites, has opened a new facility here that will simultaneously build multiple spacecraft. The location also houses a Mission Operations Center for monitoring and operating U.S. licensed spacecraft.
"With our new production facility in the U.S., we will add significant next-generation capabilities to our space and ground segments," says Jerry Welsh, CEO of ICEYE US. "This will provide us with the most reliable operational foundation, and give us the flexibility and efficiency to best accommodate the requirements of our U.S. government customers."
To meet its rapid growth, ICEYE US is hiring people with skills in spacecraft engineering, assembly, integration and testing, project management, software development, ground services, sales, and customer service. The company expects to have offices on the east and west coasts by mid-2021.
To better serve U.S. customers, ICEYE has signed an agreement with In-Q-Tel to accelerate the delivery of advanced capabilities to U.S. government organizations. In-Q-Tel identifies and partners with companies developing innovations that have both high national security impact and the potential for commercial success.
"ICEYE's world-class synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellites and their market-leading global coverage allows for capture despite time of day and weather conditions. We are pleased and excited to bring this technology to our government partners," says Simon Davidson, Managing Partner, In-Q-Tel, and EVP, IQT Emerge.
At any given time, most of the Earth is covered in clouds or darkness. Unlike traditional Earth observation satellites, ICEYE's small radar imaging satellites can form high-resolution images of areas of the Earth in daylight, at night, and through cloud cover. They can 'see' any part of the Earth multiple times a day. ICEYE has successfully launched 10 missions to date and operates the world's largest fleet of commercial SAR satellites.