Hawk RF constellation by HawkEye 360: status and timeline

Hawk RF constellation

Give governments a commercial, always-on map of radio transmitters worldwide, so ships, radios and radars can be found and identified from space.

ScalingStage 5 of 5

Cluster 14 fully operational; Clusters 15 and 16 due in 2H 2026, first Block 3 cluster next.

Updated 13 Aug 2026Checked 11 Oct0 updates this week

Milestones

Next · Clusters 15 and 16 launch

Pathfinder cluster launched on Falcon 93 Dec 2018Complete.
First Block 2 cluster (Cluster 2) launched24 Jan 2021Complete.
Cluster 13 launched12 Jan 2026Complete.
Cluster 14 launched on Transporter-16; full operation in June30 Mar 2026Complete.
Clusters 15 and 16 launchTarget Q4 2026+3 mo~~originally Jul 2026~~Current milestone.
First Block 3 Kestrel cluster launchesTarget Q1 2027Not yet reached.

Most important updates

Upcoming

Q4 2026Clusters 15 and 16 launch+3 mo~~originally Jul 2026~~ (next)
Q1 2027First Block 3 Kestrel cluster launches

Current obstacles

Cluster 15 slippedDevelopment timing pushed Cluster 15 past its July 2026 target; launches set how fast capacity and revenue grow.

Physics limits

Location accuracy depends on geometryLocating by time and frequency differences works best when receivers are far apart. Three satellites close together give a long, thin error zone.
You can only hear what transmitsPassive radio sensing finds emitters only while they broadcast; a ship or unit that stays radio-silent is invisible to it.
Low orbits mean brief passesSatellites a few hundred km up see any spot for only minutes per pass, so continuous watch needs many clusters.

How it works

4 parts

Listen

Wideband radio receivers

Each satellite carries radio receivers that record signals across a wide band, from VHF handheld radios up to radar frequencies.

Locate

Timing and pitch differences

Three satellites hear one signal at slightly different times and Doppler shifts; solving those differences gives the transmitter's position.

Formation

Satellites kept in step

The three must fly in a controlled shape with precisely known positions and clocks, or the location answer is wrong.

Ground

Processing and analytics

Recorded signals go down to ground stations, where software identifies the type of emitter and plots where and when it transmitted.

Spec sheet

Spec	Hawk RF constellation
Satellites in orbit	Over 30^R (reported)
Satellites per cluster	3^R (reported)
Frequency coverage	30 MHz to 18 GHz^R (reported)
Global revisit	Under 45 minutes^R (reported)
Satellite mass (recent clusters)	30 kg^R (reported)
Backlog (30 Jun 2026)	$292.2M^R (reported)

^R reported by the company

Update log

2 updates

Thu 13 Aug

Major: HawkEye 360 Q2 revenue rises 87% to $49.8M; Clusters 15 and 16 due in the second halfFilingCommercial

Mon 12 Jan

Minor: Cluster 13 launches on a SpaceX rideshare, adding three more radio-locating satellitesPressHardware

About HawkEye 360

The team behind Hawk RF constellation

HawkEye 360

Radio-signal-locating satellites, RF intelligence

HawkEye 360 runs a constellation of small satellites, flown in groups of three, that detect and pinpoint radio transmitters on Earth, from ship radios to radars. It sells the data and analysis mainly to the US government and allies, and listed on the NYSE in May 2026.

IPO on the NYSE in May 2026 at $26 a share raised $416M gross.
Revenue was $117.7M in 2025; Q2 2026 revenue rose 87% to $49.8M, with 2026 guidance of $215M to $220M.
Over 30 satellites in orbit; Clusters 15 and 16 due in the second half of 2026, then its first Block 3 Kestrel cluster.

Company profile →

Founded: 201511 yrs
Headquarters: United States
Status: Public
Listed: HAWK (opens google.com)NYSE
Valuation: public
Raised: $433M4 rounds
Last round: IPO (NYSE: HAWK) · $416M7 May 2026
Works in: SpaceflightSatellites
Coverage: 1 program · 4 updateslatest 13 Aug 2026checked 11 Oct
Lead investors: Goldman SachsMorgan StanleyNightDragonCenter15 Capital
Investors: Lockheed Martin
Suppliers: Space Flight Laboratory (SFL) (opens sflmissions.com)SpaceXRocket Lab
People: John SerafiniPresident & CEOChris DeMayCo-founder

Spec

Hawk RF constellation

Satellites in orbit

Over 30^R (reported)

Satellites per cluster

3^R (reported)

Frequency coverage

30 MHz to 18 GHz^R (reported)

Global revisit

Under 45 minutes^R (reported)

Satellite mass (recent clusters)

30 kg^R (reported)

Backlog (30 Jun 2026)

$292.2M^R (reported)