Albedo Space Shifts Focus to VLEO Satellite Buses After Clarity-1 Success
Albedo Space is shifting its focus from the commercial imagery business to concentrate on manufacturing Very Low Earth Orbit (VLEO) satellite buses for other payload operators. This strategic move follows the impressive performance of its Clarity-1 satellite and the growing demand for VLEO missions.
Albedo's Clarity-1 has exceeded expectations, performing 12% better than anticipated and boasting an extended lifespan averaging five years in VLEO. This success has encouraged the company to expand its product line to support a broader range of payloads and increase production capacity to hundreds of satellites annually.
SpaceX and LeoLabs are among the prominent companies planning to utilise Albedo Space's satellite buses for their payloads in VLEO. Albedo aims to deploy a global constellation in VLEO, requiring 20% to 30% more satellites compared to traditional Low Earth Orbit (LEO) constellations. The company will continue to operate Clarity-1 and future satellites at lower altitudes to maximise the advantages of VLEO.
Albedo Space's decision to exit the commercial imagery business and focus on VLEO satellite buses is a response to the successful performance of Clarity-1 and the increasing demand for VLEO missions. The company believes that adding a VLEO layer to critical missions enhances diversification, redundancy, and resiliency. While the transition includes laying off an undisclosed number of employees from the imaging business, Albedo is poised to support a wider range of payload operators and increase production capacity.
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