Advanced imagers will provide
high-resolution visual data in real time
ARLINGTON, Va., May 3, 2024
/PRNewswire/ -- Two next-generation imaging instruments designed by
Raytheon, an RTX (NYSE: RTX) business, launched yesterday as part
of Maxar's WorldView Legion satellites. These are the first
two of six planned WorldView Legion satellites, which will provide
a significant leap forward in Earth observation capabilities,
offering improved surveillance and monitoring for a wide range of
applications.
Positioned in low Earth orbit, the satellites will provide the
highest commercially available resolution, and when all six join
the Maxar Intelligence constellation, they will enable a revisit
rate of up to 15 times per day over the most populated parts of
Earth. These WorldView Legion satellites will support applications
across multiple sectors, including national security, military and
commercial mapping, maritime monitoring, telecommunications network
planning, change detection and feature identification.
"Raytheon's advanced instrument technology sets a new industry
standard, providing 30cm high-resolution satellite imagery that
enables WorldView Legion to fulfill today's customer needs and
adapt to the evolving needs of tomorrow," said Nicholas Yiakas, director of Civil, Commercial,
and Special Programs for Raytheon.
Raytheon's innovative telescope design is the culmination of 15
years of research and development into a novel optical material
that is stronger and lighter than previous designs. As part of the
effort, Raytheon received 8 patents with the U.S. Patent Office.
The combination of lighter optics and electronics allowed Maxar to
successfully reduce spacecraft mass by more than two times,
reducing time to orbit and launch costs.
The high-resolution image is focused onto a next-generation
digital focal plane array designed and built by Raytheon to provide
high-resolution multispectral images.
The satellite imagery collected by WorldView Legion will aid in
assessing humanitarian needs, providing aid to natural disasters
and businesses with transformational capabilities including mapping
and logistical planning, insights to world events and supporting
national defense.
About Raytheon
Raytheon, an RTX business, is a leading provider of defense
solutions to help the U.S. government, our allies and partners
defend their national sovereignty and ensure their security. For
more than 100 years, Raytheon has developed new technologies and
enhanced existing capabilities in integrated air and missile
defense, smart weapons, missiles, advanced sensors and radars,
interceptors, space-based systems, hypersonics and missile defense
across land, air, sea and space.
About RTX
With more than 185,000 global employees, RTX
pushes the limits of technology and science to redefine how we
connect and protect our world. Through industry-leading businesses
– Collins Aerospace, Pratt & Whitney, and Raytheon – we
are advancing aviation, engineering integrated defense systems, and
developing next-generation technology solutions and manufacturing
to help global customers address their most critical challenges.
The company, with 2023 sales of $69
billion, is headquartered in Arlington, Virginia.
For questions or to schedule an interview, please contact
corporatepr@rtx.com.
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SOURCE RTX