LeoLabs’ Costa Rica Radar Facility (Photo: LeoLabs)

Commercial Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) mapping and space situational awareness services provider LeoLabs has commenced full operations at its Space Radar facility in Costa Rica. The company broke ground on the new phased-array radar in July 2020. LeoLabs hopes the radar will help inform and protect rapidly expanding commercial and governmental assets in LEO.

Having a radar site near the equator gives LeoLabs unique capabilities to track active satellites and orbital debris as small as 2 centimeters in low inclination orbits, and provide full coverage of other activities in LEO.

“Only nine months after breaking ground in Costa Rica, it is gratifying to announce full operational status for the most advanced commercial space radar of its kind anywhere on the planet,” said LeoLabs Co-Founder and CEO Dan Ceperley. “The Costa Rica Space Radar is a critical addition to the global constellation of radars LeoLabs is building, and clearly demonstrates not just our rapid deployment capabilities, but the dramatic increase in data underpinning our LeoLabs services platform.”

To mark the occasion, LeoLabs hosted an inaugural ceremony at the Costa Rica Space Radar site, attended by government officials including Costa Rican President Carlos Alvarado Quesada. “LeoLabs investment in its Costa Rica Space Radar is a true example of the range of opportunities we have as a country in attracting state-of-the-art technology companies that promote a greater environment for innovation,” said President Alvarado. “This project extends responsible management of caring for the environment to space, an inherent value in a country like ours.”