HawkEye 360 Inc. has made successful contact with its Cluster 12 satellites following their launch from New Zealand aboard a Rocket Lab Electron rocket— Cluster 12 was launched on June 26 (ET) / June 27 (NZT) and includes three formation-flying satellites designed to detect, characterize, and geolocate radio frequency (RF) signals.
The mission also included Kestrel-0A, an experimental satellite designed to evaluate emerging capabilities and inform future technological advancements.
As the first HawkEye 360 cluster to operate in a dawn/dusk sun-synchronous orbit (SSO), Cluster 12 fills a critical coverage gap in polar orbit revisit and expands the company’s ability to deliver timely RF insights in strategically significant regions. The cluster continues the proven design of Clusters 9 through 11 and includes a demonstration of a Ka-band downlink to evaluate higher throughput for potential future use.
Cluster 12 further reinforces HawkEye 360’s commitment to advancing space-based RF capabilities in support of global security and situational awareness. The company continues to deliver multidimensional signals intelligence that equips allied governments and intelligence organizations with critical knowledge for informed, timely decision-making.
Successful contact with Cluster 12 is the result of meticulous engineering, rigorous testing, and seamless coordination with our launch and mission partners,” said Lorin Metzger, Senior Vice President of Engineering at HawkEye 360. “We’re proud of the team’s work in ensuring a smooth deployment and look forward to bringing this new cluster fully online in the coming weeks.”
Cluster 12 strengthens our mission to deliver timely, defense-relevant RF insights that empower our government and allied partners operating in complex, dynamic environments,” said Patrick Zeitouni, Chief Strategy Officer at HawkEye 360. “By extending coverage through a new orbital plane, this launch reflects our continued leadership in innovation and strategic growth, ensuring our customers have the trusted knowledge they need to achieve mission success.”