An Australian company known for capturing detailed images of spacecraft in orbit is now setting its sights on higher altitudes and deep space. HEO Robotics, which provides non-Earth imaging services, has announced plans to extend its capabilities to geostationary orbit and, in the long term, to destinations across the solar system.
The company has gained attention for its unique ability to use existing satellites to photograph other objects in space, offering unprecedented views of assets like the International Space Station and providing critical data for space domain awareness.
Key Takeaways
- HEO Robotics is planning to offer imaging services for satellites in geostationary orbit (GEO), a significant expansion from its current low-Earth orbit operations.
- The company will achieve this by installing its own imaging sensors on partner satellites destined for higher orbits.
- A new partnership with satellite servicing firm Astroscale aims to improve space safety and debris management.
- The company's long-term vision is to provide on-demand imaging for objects throughout the solar system, including asteroids.
From Low Earth Orbit to the Final Frontier
HEO Robotics has carved a niche in the space industry by repurposing cameras on existing Earth-observation satellites. When these satellites pass over areas with low imaging demand, such as oceans, HEO utilizes their hardware to capture images of other nearby spacecraft. This approach has yielded striking photographs of China's Tiangong space station and documented the atmospheric reentry of the European Space Agency's ERS-2 satellite in February 2024.
These images are more than just visually impressive. They provide valuable data for satellite operators, helping with anomaly detection, operational monitoring, and risk assessment from space debris. According to Will Crowe, co-founder and CEO of HEO, this capability was once the exclusive domain of national security agencies.
"The national security establishment has already been doing this for five decades but thought that no one could replicate it, so they made it highly classified," Crowe stated. "But we didn't know we shouldn't know that, so we just started playing."
What is Non-Earth Imaging (NEI)?
Non-Earth Imaging refers to the practice of using a space-based camera to photograph another object in space, rather than pointing it down at Earth. This technique is crucial for Space Domain Awareness (SDA), which involves tracking and identifying satellites and debris to ensure safe operations in orbit.
The Challenge of Geostationary Orbit
The company's next major objective is to provide imaging services in geostationary orbit (GEO), an area approximately 35,786 kilometers (22,236 miles) above the Earth's equator. This orbit is home to critical communications and weather satellites, but presents a unique challenge.
Unlike low-Earth orbit (LEO), which is crowded with imaging satellites, GEO has a scarcity of spacecraft equipped with the necessary cameras for HEO's current business model. To overcome this, the company is shifting its strategy.
"Getting to GEO is going to be very challenging, so we're focused on that right now," Crowe explained. HEO plans to develop its own imagers, sensors, and software to be hosted on satellites already scheduled for launch to GEO. This move represents a significant technical and financial step for the company, which it aims to achieve within the next year.
A Landmark License
HEO recently received the first-ever Tier-3 license from the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for a commercial optical camera operating in high LEO (above 800 kilometers). This regulatory approval signals growing official recognition of commercial non-Earth imaging as a key component of space safety infrastructure.
Partnerships for a Safer Space
To support its expansion and contribute to orbital sustainability, HEO has entered into a three-year agreement with Astroscale, a company specializing in satellite servicing and space debris removal. The partnership will focus on monitoring and assessing assets in orbit to support servicing missions.
Astroscale has already demonstrated its ability to perform close-proximity operations, such as flying around a spent rocket stage. HEO's technology can provide an external perspective during these complex maneuvers.
"It's just good practice to have outside eyes looking in," Crowe noted, explaining that an independent view can help identify issues that onboard sensors might miss. The collaboration will cover operations in LEO and extend into GEO as both companies expand their reach.
A Vision for the Solar System
While GEO is the immediate focus, HEO's ultimate ambition extends far beyond Earth's orbit. Crowe described the company's long-term vision as providing "the solar system on demand."
The goal is to create a network of space-based cameras that can be tasked to image objects anywhere in the solar system. "If you want to go see an asteroid, we will enable that mission," he said.
The initial phase of this plan will target asteroids passing through the Earth-moon system. Over time, the company hopes to build a system capable of imaging objects in the asteroid belt and beyond by leveraging a sufficient number of cameras on spacecraft in diverse orbits.
By normalizing the practice of in-space imaging, HEO is not only building a business but also fundamentally changing how humanity monitors and interacts with its assets in the final frontier.