Radiant Solutions to lead DARPA telescope build

Maxar Technologies' Radiant Solutions business has received a $2 million contract from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency to design and build a telescope for use with small satellite constellations.

The effort seeks to meet demand from defense and intelligence agencies for technologies compatible with smaller-form satellites both industry and government view as a quicker and cheaper alternative to larger platforms, Maxar said Thursday.

Radiant will collaborate with another Maxar business unit in SSL, a satellite and spacecraft manufacturer. DARPA wants the satellite telescope system to have a lightweight design and large field-of-view that can be scaled to many dozens of spacecraft.

SSL has ramped up its small satellite investments within the past year, including through the startup of a smallsat-focused division out of San Jose, California.