Herndon,Virginia startup HawkEye360 recently announced that it has raised around 11 million dollars to send seven fleets of small satellites into low-Earth orbit. Once these satellites are in orbit, they will track radio frequencies from space. The company plans to launch its first cluster of satellites in late 2017 after it raises more capital. The outcome of this first cluster will help determine its schedule for the next cluster of launches.
By tracking radio signals, these satellites are taking a different approach than other commercial imaging services that tend to use advanced cameras. Tracking radio waves can be useful for tracking ships and when combined with small satellites could be used on a global scale by numerous companies. Agencies such as the Coast Guard could also use this technology in order to locate endangered ships.
According to the Martinsville Bulletin, HawkEye360 is working on a mapping capability that would display signals on a single screen, like a radar system that sits on the outer edges of Earth's atmosphere. This would allow anything with a signal to be tracked by this system. Having a capability to track signals and a screen that makes it easy to navigate and locate specific objects is just another excellent and efficient way that small satellites can be used.
HawkEye360's funding comes largely from Razor's Edge Management, a Reston, Virginia based startup that is associated with the government intelligence community. HawkEye360 is a subsidiary of Allied Minds', a holding company focused on venture creation within the life science and technology sectors.
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