On March 19, Booz Allen Hamilton announced that Booz Allen Ventures portfolio company Albedo has successfully launched Clarity-1, the first commercial satellite to operate in Very Low Earth Orbit (VLEO), marking a significant milestone in commercial space innovation. This achievement comes just over a year after Booz Allen Ventures’ strategic investment in Albedo, demonstrating the rapid acceleration of developing commercial technology to meet critical government needs.
With Clarity-1 now on orbit, Albedo has introduced a breakthrough capability—10 cm visible and 2-meter thermal imagery from VLEO—delivering resolutions previously limited to aircraft and drones. This will further enhance capabilities for Earth observation and national security use cases across government and industry.
“Albedo’s rapid trajectory from investment to launch demonstrates the speed to outcomes that is critical for national security. We are excited to actively bring these capabilities to the U.S. government,” said Brian MacCarthy, managing director of Booz Allen Ventures. “This milestone showcases Booz Allen’s ability to anticipate, build, and invest in advanced technology that truly transforms missions.”
By leveraging VLEO’s unique advantages, Albedo is positioned to contribute to Space Domain Awareness and provide an alternate vantage point to traditional Earth observation methods. With its Strategic Funding Increase (STRAFI) contract from the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), Albedo’s technology is already playing an important role in the U.S. government’s space strategy.
“The launch of Clarity-1 is a pivotal moment for the space industry,” said Chris Bogdan, executive vice president at Booz Allen and leader of the firm’s Space business. “The ability to collect ultra-high-resolution data at a fraction of the cost and timeline of traditional satellites is a transformational shift in space technology. This launch not only showcases Albedo’s ingenuity but also highlights the power of dual-use commercial technology to meet mission-critical needs.”
“Ultra-high-resolution data will be essential for delivering the necessary intelligence and analytics to inform our nation’s decision-making,” said Winston Tri, co-founder and CPO at Albedo. “As Albedo accelerates its vision to provide unparalleled geospatial insights, we look forward to an ongoing partnership with Booz Allen.”
Source: Booz Allen
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