France taps Loft Orbital to develop nation’s first ‘sovereign’ SAR satellite
The program is aimed at providing "a critical technology for the armed forces and for France’s strategic autonomy," according to Loft's announcement today.
The program is aimed at providing "a critical technology for the armed forces and for France’s strategic autonomy," according to Loft's announcement today.
"We really view ourselves, not as a space company, not as a satellite company, but as a geospatial intelligence company," says BlackSky's Chief Technical Officer Peter Wegner.
The French military is moving apace in keeping with Paris's determination to, at a minimum, keep its rank as the third international space power in an increasingly large and competitive club of nations.
It's sort of like we're exclusively dating. We agreed to not see other people right now but we haven't committed to anything else yet," explained one Lockheed Martin official.