Deep Space Industries satellites. Photo: Deep Space Industries

[Via Satellite 05-27-2016] HawkEye 360, a subsidiary of Allied Minds, has selected Deep Space Industries and its sub-contractor, the University of Toronto Space Flight Laboratory (SFL) as the manufacturer for its Pathfinder small satellite cluster. Deep Space Industries has also chosen to participate in HawkEye 360’s first preferred financing round.

HawkEye 360 is developing a space-based radio frequency mapping and analytics system for use by commercial enterprises and governments. The constellation is planned for Low Earth Orbit (LEO) at less than 600 kilometers from the Earth’s surface to collect data and generate reports on geolocated wireless signals that can be used to monitor global transportation networks, support government requirements, and assist with emergencies. The company’s Pathfinder cluster, which precedes the larger constellation, is scheduled for launch and testing in late 2017.

HawkEye 360 anticipates this service will be useful for government regulators, telecommunications companies and satellite broadcasters. According to the company, space-based detection of RF signals enables the location and characterization of difficult-to-visualize wireless spectrum information in a more accurate and efficient manner when compared to terrestrial detection and image analysis. By taking RF data and turning it into information, HawkEye 360 could monitor RF spectrum usage to identify areas of interference and allocated-but-unused bandwidth.