Government-Built Proliferated Constellations: Competitor or Customer?
Are governments building their own large constellations of imaging satellites, and what does that mean for commercial operators?
Chapter summary
Yes.
Key takeaways
- 1
Since 2024 the US National Reconnaissance Office has launched a proliferated architecture of many smaller satellites, reported to be built largely on SpaceX's Starshield platform with Northrop Grumman and others, on a series of dedicated NROL missions.
- 2
Its aim is persistent imaging and data relay from hundreds of satellites, owned by the government.
- 3
China's Yaogan fleet (167 in orbit on Setcoin's count) is a long-standing example; European states are buying sovereign constellations from commercial suppliers (Chapter 19).
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