Kristen Smith 
- HawkEye 360’s Cluster 14 satellites have reached full operational capacity
- The three spacecraft launched in March and cleared commissioning faster than any prior HawkEye 360 cluster
- Upgraded onboard processing is designed to cut the lag between signal collection and analysis
A new set of HawkEye 360 satellites has begun working for the company’s customers, with the three Cluster 14 spacecraft now collecting signals intelligence after months of orbital checkout.
The Herndon, Virginia, company said Wednesday the cluster reached full operational capacity. The satellites were launched to orbit in March on SpaceX‘s Falcon 9 Transporter-16 mission and cleared commissioning faster than any group HawkEye 360 has flown.
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What Does the New Cluster Add?
The three satellites joined a network that HawkEye 360 continues to expand to broaden where and how often it can detect radio signals. What distinguishes this batch, the company said, is speed, highlighting its upgraded onboard processing capability engineered to shorten the lag between collecting a signal and producing analysis. By deploying them to a sun-synchronous orbit, the satellites are able to pass over the same regions on a predictable schedule, supporting defense, maritime and national security applications.
“With Cluster 14 now fully operational, HawkEye 360 continues to expand its ability to detect, geolocate, and characterize radio-frequency emissions worldwide, delivering trusted domain awareness and mission-critical signals intelligence to government and allied customers,” said Chief Operating Officer Todd Probert, a two-time Wash100 Award winner.
How Fast Is HawkEye 360 Expanding Its Constellation?
HawkEye 360 has been launching satellites at a steady rate. Cluster 13 reached orbit in January on board a Falcon 9 rocket and Cluster 12 was declared fully operational last September. Cluster 12 is the first in HawkEye 360’s constellation to operate in a dawn/dusk sun synchronous orbit, providing visibility into regions previously underserved by earlier satellites.
