Imaging and Defense Satellites

Orbital has long been a leader in the design and manufacture of small spacecraft used for imaging, remote sensing and technology validation missions for civil, commercial and national security customers.

Imaging and Remote Sensing

In the mid-1990's, Orbital helped to establish the commercial remote sensing market with the development and launch of the OrbView series of satellites. OrbView-1 helped scientists study lightning patterns and collect data on dangerous weather systems. OrbView-2 was the first commercial satellite to supply color digital imagery of the Earth on a daily basis.  The OrbView-3 satellite was one of the first commercial spacecraft to provide high-resolution imagery for commercial, environmental and national security applications.  With the acquisition of the General Dynamics satellite manufacturing business in April 2010, Orbital added the high resolution GeoEye-1 spacecraft to its list of imaging satellites.

Defense Technology Satellites

Orbital’s smaller spacecraft platforms are ideally suited for national security space missions. Traditionally, Orbital has provided its highly-reliable spacecraft as platforms to demonstrate new space technologies for defense and intelligence applications. For example, the MiTex experimental satellite for the Defense Applied Research Projects Agency (DARPA) successfully conducted its mission using a new small spacecraft bus developed expressly for national security space missions.  Orbital currently has several follow-on missions using this platform to demonstrate its use in space situational awareness.

In addition, with the acquisition of General Dynamics’ satellite manufacturing business, Orbital has added flight-proven small- and medium-class spacecraft platforms, broadening its product offerings.  Recent defense-related spacecraft missions utilizing these busses have included the C/NOFS satellite for the U.S. Air Force and the NFIRE satellite for the U.S. Missile Defense Agency.