Umbra Progresses to Phase II of DARPA DRIFT Program

Insider Brief:

• Umbra has advanced to Phase II of the Distributed Radar Image Formation Technology (DRIFT) program, led by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).
• During Phase II, Umbra’s SAR satellites will conduct a comprehensive multi-month collection campaign, generating bistatic and multistatic datasets for analysis by DARPA and its partners.
• With eight currently orbiting satellites, Umbra plans to deploy the remaining assets in its licensed 32-satellite constellation in pairs.

Umbra, a leading space technology company, has advanced to Phase II of the Distributed Radar Image Formation Technology (DRIFT) program, led by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).

The DRIFT program utilizes data from multiple Umbra Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellites, enabling the development of innovative processing algorithms. These advancements in formation flying and joint collection techniques demonstrate Umbra’s expertise in remote sensing space systems.

During Phase II, Umbra’s SAR satellites will conduct a comprehensive multi-month collection campaign, generating bistatic and multistatic datasets for analysis by DARPA and its partners. At the end of Phase II, Umbra will demonstrate its multistatic capabilities in orbit.

Jason Mallare, Vice President of Global Solutions at Umbra, expressed his enthusiasm, stating, “We’re grateful to contribute to DARPA’s vision, leveraging top-tier U.S. capabilities for asymmetric advantage. Umbra’s differentiated technology and relentless focus on tech evolution drive us forward.”

Earlier in March, Umbra released bistatic imagery from its tandem satellites. With eight currently orbiting satellites, Umbra plans to deploy the remaining assets in its licensed 32-satellite constellation in pairs.

Umbra’s SAR satellites, capable of day/night all-weather imaging, are essential for monitoring changes. The company provides high-quality SAR data at unprecedented volumes, enabling actionable insights for the U.S. Government, allies, and commercial partners.