HawkEye 360’s Cluster 6 Satellites to lift off this December from Rocket Lab’s New Launchpad in Virginia
HawkEye 360 Inc., the world’s leading commercial provider of space-based radio frequency (RF) data and analytics, today announced its Cluster 6 next-generation satellites is scheduled to launch during a 13-day window that opens on December 7 aboard the inaugural Rocket Lab Electron flight at Virginia Space’s Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport within NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility.
The satellites will enter an inclined orbit to boost revisits over the mid-latitude regions of the globe. This is the first of three dedicated Rocket Lab USA Inc. (Nasdaq: RKLB) flights contracted by HawkEye 360.
“We’re proud to be a Virginia-based company, with Virginia-developed technology, launching out of the Virginia spaceport,” said HawkEye 360 CEO, John Serafini. “We selected Rocket Lab because of the flexibility it enables for us to place the satellites into an orbit tailored to benefit our customers. Deploying our satellites on Rocket Lab’s inaugural launch is a giant leap in Virginia’s flourishing space economy.”
“Rocket Lab provides a basis for expanding our orbits while driving down our revisit rates throughout the globe,” said HawkEye 360 COO, Rob Rainhart. “I’m so proud of the teams and all that they have accomplished.”
“Our first Electron mission from Launch Complex 2 establishes a new path to orbit for the nation and what better way to start that than by teaming up with HawkEye 360 to launch Virginia-built spacecraft,” said Rocket Lab founder and CEO, Peter Beck. “Electron has long been recognized as the leading small launch vehicle and we look forward to continuing to provide a reliable path to orbit, now from two hemispheres.”
“The Virginia Commercial Space Flight Authority is honored to support the launch of this historic mission alongside HawkEye 360 and Rocket Lab. Hosting Virginia-based HawkEye 360’s payload at our Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport makes this event even more significant,” said Ted Mercer, CEO and Executive Director at Virginia Space. “This is an exciting time for Virginia Space and the Eastern Shore, and we’re looking forward to our continued partnership with HawkEye 360 and Rocket Lab and seeing what the future holds for Virginia’s burgeoning space presence.”
The launch of Cluster 6 will mean HawkEye 360 will have placed 15 next-generation satellites into orbit within two years. This rapid pace will continue in 2023, with Cluster 7 anticipated to launch in February and Clusters 8 and 9 mid-year. Once Cluster 6 is commissioned, HawkEye 360 will be able to collect RF data as frequently as every hour anywhere in the world. The additional capacity and depth of RF GEOINT data will unlock further applications for customers, especially over high-demand areas.
For more information on the HawkEye 360 satellite constellation, please visit https://www.he360.com/.
About HawkEye 360
HawkEye 360 is delivering a revolutionary source of global knowledge based on radio frequency (RF) geospatial insights to those working to make the world a safer place. The company operates the first-of-its-kind commercial satellite constellation to detect, characterize, and geolocate a broad range of RF signals. This unique RF data and analytics equip our global customers with high-impact insights needed to make decisions with confidence. HawkEye 360 is headquartered in Herndon, Virginia.
