The first two WorldView Legion satellites have recently arrived at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California and are set to potentially launch as early as April. Maxar Space Systems, the company responsible for building the satellites for Maxar Intelligence, made the announcement on Monday. The launch will be conducted by SpaceX as part of a Falcon 9 mission.
This update comes after a period of limited information about the constellation, as Maxar had been relatively quiet following its acquisition by private equity firm Advent International and its transition to a private entity in 2023. Originally slated for launch as early as mid-2021, the satellites are now finally making their way to the launch site.
These two satellites are just the beginning, with a total of six WorldView Legion satellites planned. Once all six are in orbit, Maxar Intelligence’s imaging capabilities in terms of resolution and accuracy will be significantly enhanced. The company projects that with the full constellation operational, they will be able to triple their capacity to collect 30 cm-class and multispectral imagery. Additionally, the 10 electro-optical satellites that make up the complete Maxar constellation will be able to capture images of changing Earth landscapes as frequently as every 20 to 30 minutes.
Dan Smoot, CEO of Maxar Intelligence, expressed excitement about the WorldView Legion project, emphasizing how it will elevate the company’s constellation performance and provide customers with valuable insights to support their missions.
