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Non-Earth Imaging, or its more familiar term Satellite-to-Satellite Imaging, has always mattered for defence and intelligence agencies, but the urgency today is unprecedented.
Defence and intelligence organisations are no longer dealing with hundreds of satellites in orbit but tens of thousands. The scale makes traditional approaches impossible. You cannot throw enough engineers at the problem, even if money were unlimited. What is required is automation: imaging that not only captures spacecraft at scale but also transforms raw data into actionable intelligence. From identifying newly launched satellites to diagnosing damage in orbit, imagery becomes the foundation for space awareness and the only way to keep pace with the realities of modern space operations.
Just as drone swarms transformed modern warfare, proliferated spacecraft constellations are reshaping space operations. Government tracking systems can't keep pace with identification and threat characterisation, as we see the number of objects sent to space continue to tick up.
This challenge will only accelerate. Before 2016, launches carried two payloads on average. By 2020, the average payloads per successful launch had climbed to nearly 11 payloads. More recently, SpaceX's Transporter-11 deployed 116 objects simultaneously. When dozens of new satellites appear in similar orbits, traditional tracking methods fail two fundamental questions: Is this object a threat? What is it designed to do?
The result is a widening intelligence gap.
Non-Earth imaging closes that gap. It uses satellites already in orbit to image other satellites, capturing resolved imagery of spacecraft in their operational environment.
HEO's flyby NEI methodology leverages naturally occurring orbital opportunities where one satellite images another as it passes by, avoiding the complexity and resource requirements of active rendezvous and proximity operations. This non-invasive approach enables persistent monitoring without requiring dedicated proximity operations that could be interpreted as aggressive actions or risk a collision.
Our distributed sensor network, comprising 40+ space-based sensors as of August 2024, provides high-cadence coverage. This architecture delivers a high volume of data, enabling us to monitor satellites every single day and capture imagery from different angles as orbital mechanics create varied viewing opportunities. This network includes both commercial Earth observation cameras operating during downtime and HEO's purpose-built Holmes and Adler imagers hosted on partner spacecraft, creating the world's largest non-Earth imaging capability for defence applications.
The key advantage is that you get resolved imagery, pictures that show structural details. You can see solar panels, antennas, thrusters, payloads, and other critical components for various angles that indicate capabilities and intent.
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Space intelligence begins with knowing what you're looking at. HEO's Non-Earth Imaging provides resolved, multi-angle imagery that distinguishes active satellites from debris, reveals component-level configurations, and enables rapid attribution.
Object Classification: Resolved imagery immediately differentiates operational satellites from space debris. This speeds up threat assessments and avoids misclassification that could lead to escalation or missed risks.
Capability Profiling: Visible characteristics such as antenna architecture, solar panel design, propulsion type, and payload structure allow analysts to infer communications capacity, mission intent, and power generation, before a satellite is publicly catalogued.
Comparative Attribution: By cross-referencing visual characteristics with known satellite designs and publicly available information, analysts can identify specific satellite models, manufacturers, and likely capabilities. This comparative approach has enabled HEO to identify over 80 objects before any public catalogue, with 66 still listed as unknown in official databases.
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Modern space operations increasingly rely on distributed satellite constellations that require comprehensive monitoring to understand their collective capabilities and operational patterns. Tracking single satellites isn't enough. NEI delivers persistent, wide-angle coverage of entire networks, revealing how they operate as systems.
Constellation Mapping: Multi-perspective imaging across a constellation reveals structure, redundancy, and inter-satellite relationships. This high-frequency, multi-angle imaging is essential for revealing how constellations are structured and how their satellites coordinate in operation.
Capability Evolution: Visual monitoring of constellation deployments reveals the pace of capability development and operational expansion. Changes in satellite configurations, new deployments, or modifications to existing assets provide early warning of enhanced capabilities or changing mission priorities.
Operational Pattern Recognition: Continuous imaging reveals how constellations operate collectively, including coordination mechanisms, behaviour patterns, and response to external stimuli. This intelligence provides insight into command structures, coordination behaviours, and overall operational intent.
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In the dynamic space environment, the ability to quickly detect and attribute unusual activities is crucial for maintaining space domain awareness and protecting national assets.
Behavioural Analysis: By establishing baselines for known satellites, NEI can detect unexpected hardware deployments, attitude shifts, or configuration changes. These are often the first signs of a malfunction or manoeuvre.
Rapid Response: If a satellite fails or behaves unusually, NEI delivers immediate visual confirmation. Analysts can distinguish technical faults from environmental disruptions or intentional interference.
Visual Attribution: Clear imagery of proximity operations, deployed mechanisms, or structural changes enables attribution, essential for decision-making, diplomacy, and deterrence.
HEO's operational model delivers three key differentiators for defence and intelligence missions:
Hybrid Architecture for Resilience: Our distributed network combines on-demand tasking of commercial Earth observation satellites and spacecraft with dedicated NEI payloads. This hybrid approach ensures coverage continuity without single points of failure while remaining cost-effective and scalable for defence requirements.
Human-Backed Automation: Behind every image is a space mission analyst supported by semi-automated detection and analysis tools. Machine-driven detection identifies targets, while analyst-led interpretation provides the context and attribution critical for defence decision-making. This fusion delivers both speed and accuracy at scale.
Proven Operational Results: HEO has identified more than 80 space objects before any public catalogue, with 66 still unlisted in official databases. Our characterisation of Cosmos 2558, a suspected proximity operations satellite, demonstrates real-time space-based intelligence supporting national security operations.
Non-Earth Imaging provides defence and intelligence operations with the ability to capture resolved imagery of space activities. As the orbital environment becomes more complex and contested, organisations need to see, identify, and understand space activities at scale to maintain strategic advantage and operational security.
HEO's proven NEI capabilities give defence organisations intelligence depth for navigating the space domain. The technology enables rapid identification of unknown objects, continuous monitoring of adversarial capabilities, and anomaly detection that supports near real-time decision-making. NEI addresses intelligence gaps that traditional space surveillance cannot fill.
Space domain awareness requires transparency and understanding in an environment where intentions are unclear and capabilities evolve rapidly. Non-Earth Imaging provides the visual intelligence foundation needed to maintain strategic advantage, protect national assets, and ensure space operations remain secure and sustainable for defence purposes.
