HawkEye 360, the global leader in signals intelligence, announced the upcoming launch of its Cluster 12 satellites. The mission will also include Kestrel-0A, an experimental satellite designed to evaluate emerging capabilities and future technology enhancements. All four satellites will launch aboard a Rocket Lab Electron rocket from New Zealand no earlier than June 27th (June 26th US Eastern time zone). Cluster 12 will enhance HawkEye 360’s capacity to detect, characterize, and geolocate radio frequency (RF) signals from space.
Cluster 12 builds on the proven design of Clusters 9 through 11, delivering consistent, high-quality RF sensing to meet growing demand for actionable signals intelligence. It also includes a demonstration of a Ka-band downlink, which may enable higher data throughput in future operational scenarios.
“Cluster 12 reinforces our commitment to advancing defense-focused technology that delivers decisive operational advantage,” said John Serafini, CEO, HawkEye 360. “As the global landscape grows more complex, our commercial signals intelligence capabilities provide trusted, actionable signals intelligence that support national security priorities and allied mission success. With every launch, we deepen our role as a strategic enabler for those operating in contested and dynamic environments.”
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These three satellites will operate in formation to geolocate RF signals with high accuracy, delivering mission-aligned awareness across land and sea. These advanced sensing capabilities support monitoring of contested maritime zones, detecting GPS interference, and identifying hostile or deceptive activity. As the first HawkEye 360 cluster to operate in a dawn/dusk local time of ascending node (LTAN) orbit, Cluster 12 fills a critical gap in polar orbit coverage, enhancing revisit rates in high-latitude regions and extending timely signals intelligence to areas of growing strategic importance.
SOURCE: PRNewswire