Satellogic and HEO Sign Three-Year Imaging Agreement
The partnership aims to enhance global space domain awareness through repurposed Earth observation technology.
Updated on Oct. 29, 2026 in Space
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Satellogic and HEO have formalized a three-year agreement to provide non-Earth imaging services through 2029. This contract follows a successful trial period that saw the capture of over 1,600 images of orbital objects.
Why it matters
The collaboration is designed to bolster global space domain awareness by utilizing a co-funded engineering effort to adapt Earth observation satellites for monitoring other spacecraft. This approach allows for detailed orbital tracking that was previously difficult to achieve with standard equipment.
The companies successfully completed 1,600 captures in the last year, a significant increase from 30 captures in 2021. Recent operations include a 3 cm/px resolution image of the BlueWalker 3 satellite captured from a distance of 17.22 km.
The players
Satellogic
An Earth observation company that manages a fleet of satellites used for commercial and government imagery.
HEO
A space technology firm specializing in software for the automated tasking, capture, and analysis of orbital objects.
The details
The partnership leverages HEO software to automate the tasking, capture, and analysis of orbital objects using Satellogic's existing fleet. NewSat 46, a specific unit within the fleet, was utilized to image the BlueWalker 3 satellite on October 24, 2026.
Timeline
September 2020: The companies began their working relationship.
2021: The first full year of service saw 30 captures completed.
October 24, 2026: HEO captured an image of the BlueWalker 3 satellite.
October 29, 2026: The agreement was formally announced at the Space Economy Summit.
2029: The term of the three-year agreement expires.
The Big Picture
This agreement marks a shift toward utilizing commercial Earth observation infrastructure for continuous space monitoring. It effectively bridges the gap between ground-based tracking and the need for high-resolution visual data in orbit.
Improved orbital imaging technology could lead to safer satellite operations and more accurate tracking of debris in near-Earth orbit. These advancements eventually support more reliable communications and navigation services for the general public.
The takeaway
Commercial partnerships are rapidly increasing the frequency and quality of satellite-to-satellite monitoring in low Earth orbit. These innovations suggest a future where automated orbital surveillance becomes a standard requirement for space traffic management.
Further reading
For more information on the industry, visit the Space section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Manila times.
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