Umbra, a California-based manufacturer of synthetic aperture radar satellites (SAR), was involved in the development of next-generation sensor satellites, aimed at improving the ability to search for surface objects in the open ocean in the interests of the United States and its allies in the Indo-Pacific region.
The company was selected for development under the public-private agreement, known as Strategic Funding Increase (STRATFI), which can be evaluated in 60 million USD prior to finalizing the contract and co-investment commitments.
"Thanks to this program, Umbra plans to develop, build and launch next-generation spacecraft fleets, to demonstrate the benefits of full wide SAR coverage for open ocean and offshore search missions", Umbra said in a statement.
The project will receive state funding from several organizations: of the state institution SpaceWERX, US space forces, the Defense Innovation Unit and the Space Development Agency. The involvement of private investors is expected within the framework of the agreement.
Although the selection of Umbra for the STRATFI contract was initially announced 10 March, the company reported 8 April, that special attention will be paid to maritime surveillance satellites.
Unlike optical cameras, which need daylight and clear weather, SAR systems can see through clouds, darkness and bad weather, emitting radar pulses and analyzing the reflected signals.
This capability is especially valuable for maritime surveillance, where vast areas of ocean water require constant monitoring regardless of weather conditions or time of day. The Indo-Pacific region is gaining more and more importance in the US defense strategy, where more and more attention is paid to the monitoring of shipping, detection of unauthorized vessels and support of search and rescue operations in large sea areas.
Source: https://spacenews.com/umbra-to-develop-maritime-surveillance-satellites-for-u-s-military/