# Umbra

Canonical page: https://technooptimist.io/companies/umbra
US company that builds and runs its own radar-imaging satellites in Santa Barbara, California. It sells sharp radar images that see through cloud and darkness to US intelligence, NOAA and commercial users.

## In brief

- Released a 16 cm radar image in 2023, which it called the sharpest commercial satellite image ever released.
- Sole-source NRO contract (Aug 2026) and NOAA data contract (Sept 2026), after delivering 100,000+ images to NRO.
- Builds satellites in-house in a 50,000 sq ft Santa Barbara factory; shares free imagery via an open data program.

## Facts

- Founded: 2015
- Headquarters: US
- Status: private
- Website: https://umbra.space
- Frontiers: [Spaceflight](https://technooptimist.io/spaceflight.md) (Earth observation)

## Programs

- [Umbra SAR constellation](https://technooptimist.io/spaceflight/umbra-sar-constellation.md) (Spaceflight): Deploy; next: Build wide-area maritime next-generation satellites. Operating and growing; won NRO and NOAA contracts in 2026 and is designing a wide-area next generation.

## Technical approach

- **Radar: Its own light source**: Umbra's satellites send microwave pulses and record the echoes, so they image day or night and through cloud, smoke and rain.
- **Spotlight: Staring longer for sharper images**: By steering the beam to stay on one spot as it passes, the satellite gathers a longer 'synthetic' antenna and resolves details down to 16 cm.
- **Tandem pairs: Two satellites, one picture**: Satellites launched in pairs fly in formation; one transmits and both receive, giving multi-angle (bistatic) images and moving-target detection.
- **In-house build: Designed and built under one roof**: Umbra designs and builds its spacecraft and parts itself and now sells that hardware to other operators.

## Open problems

- **Scaling the fleet** (active research): Revisit time depends on satellite count; Umbra's new factory quadruples production, but the fleet size is not public.
- **Turning radar into answers** (active research): Radar images are grainy and unlike photos; customers need software and analysts to interpret them.

## Latest updates

- **17 Sep 2026**: NOAA selects Umbra to supply commercial radar data for weather and environmental monitoring. NOAA's Commercial Data Program chose Umbra as a provider of synthetic aperture radar data under a space-based environmental monitoring contract. ([our story](https://technooptimist.io/stories/noaa-selects-umbra-to-supply-commercial-radar-data-for-weather-and-d8124d44.md) · [original source](https://umbra.space/blog/umbra-selected-by-noaa-to-provide-commercial-sar-data-for-weather-and-environmental-monitoring/))
- **5 Aug 2026**: Umbra wins a sole-source NRO contract for commercial radar imagery. The National Reconnaissance Office's Commercial Systems Program Office awarded Umbra a sole-source, firm-fixed-price contract for radar commercial augmentation: assured, global tasking across Umbra's fleet with fast, low-latency delivery… ([our story](https://technooptimist.io/stories/umbra-wins-a-sole-source-nro-contract-for-commercial-radar-imagery-fed4c587.md) · [original source](https://umbra.space/blog/umbra-nro-radar-contract/))
- **16 Aug 2024**: Umbra launches its Umbra-09 and -10 radar satellite pair on SpaceX Transporter-11. Umbra launched a second tandem pair of radar satellites on SpaceX's Transporter-11 rideshare from Vandenberg, after Umbra-07 and -08 flew in November 2023. ([our story](https://technooptimist.io/stories/umbra-launches-its-umbra-09-and-10-radar-satellite-pair-on-spacex-865bdc8d.md) · [original source](http://satnews.com/2024/08/19/umbra-boosts-sar-with-2-satellites-on-the-spacex-transporter-11-rideshare-mission/))
- **7 Aug 2023**: Umbra releases a 16 cm radar image after NOAA lifts its licence restrictions. NOAA removed the temporary licensing conditions Umbra had operated under, letting it sell its sharpest data. ([our story](https://technooptimist.io/stories/umbra-releases-a-16-cm-radar-image-after-noaa-lifts-its-licence-2dcb1a09.md) · [original source](https://umbra.space/blog/umbra-generates-the-highest-resolution-commercial-satellite-image-ever-released/))

## Partners, customers and investors

- National Reconnaissance Office (customer): Radar commercial augmentation, sole-source contract since Aug 2026 after four years of work.
- NOAA (customer): Commercial SAR data IDIQ, Sept 2026 to Aug 2036.
- SpaceWERX (US Air Force) (customer): STRATFI award for a next-generation constellation, up to $60M with matching funds.
- Maxar (partner): Contract partner with dedicated access to Umbra's SAR constellation (2024).
- SpaceX (supplier): Launches Umbra satellites on Transporter rideshares.

## People

- David Langan, CEO and co-founder
- Gabe Dominocielo, Co-founder and president
- Todd Master, Chief Operating Officer

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