Satellogic ($SATL) has been granted a new, remote sensing license by NOAA.
Satellogic has been building and operating EO satellites equipped with optical and multispectral sensors since the company was founded in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 2010. The company went public via SPAC in January 2022 in a merger that provided $262 million in gross proceeds.
During the company’s H1 2023 financial results call, executives announced that Satellogic would realign its business in the U.S. to capture more government and commercial contracts. That shift included two key changes:
- Redomiciling the company from the British Virgin Islands to Delaware by the first half of 2024
- Securing a remote sensing license from NOAA for its Aleph-1 constellation
The first goal is still in progress — the second can be checked off the list.
Earning a NOAA remote sensing license means that Satellogic is now subject to the agency’s oversight and also means that the company is able to open up ground stations in the U.S. to downlink from its Aleph-1 constellation, and that U.S. personnel can now take the lead on satellite operations.
The license allows Satellogic to pursue more opportunities for contracts and partnerships with US military and civil agencies, a key area of growth for the company’s remote sensing data.
“U.S. defense, intelligence, and civilian agencies have recognized a significant and growing need to collaborate with commercial partners like Satellogic that can provide rapid, accurate, and trusted geospatial data for a range of global applications.” — Matt Tirman, President, Satellogic