Company, engaged in satellite imaging, Planet has appointed General John "Jay" Raymond to its board of directors, the first head of the US Space Force. This decision is related to the desire to expand the company's presence in the defense and intelligence market.
Raymond, who is currently the head of the private investment fund Cerberus, has extensive experience in the field of military space operations. He joins Planet, which competes for government contracts with such giants, like Maxar Intelligence and BlackSky.
Planet operates one of the world's largest commercial satellite networks - over 200 satellites, which cover the whole Earth every day. The company uses these images together with artificial intelligence for analytics and providing important insights to customers.
The defense market is in focus.
Raymond's appointment took place against the background of the company's more active promotion of the defense market. In December, Planet CEO Will Marshall announced a new seven-figure contract with the US Department of Defense. This is already the third such agreement of the company 2024 financial year, aimed at testing its capabilities by government clients.
in addition, Planet plans to adapt its technology for the needs of the defense sector. In particular, it is about launching new Pelican satellites into sun-synchronous and medium-inclination orbits, which will allow better coverage of densely populated regions between 45 degrees of north and south latitude.
This strategy is similar to that of competitor Maxar, whose WorldView Legion system is also aimed at such orbits. It provides more frequent monitoring of mid-latitude regions, which is critical for defense and intelligence purposes.
Source: https://spacenews.com/planet-hires-former-space-force-chief-to-its-board-amid-defense-push/