On August 18, 2026, Australian space situational awareness vendor HEO announced a strategic partnership with Earth observation operator Planet Labs PBC to integrate Planet’s SkySat constellation into HEO’s Non-Earth Imaging (NEI) network.
The integration expands HEO’s capability to execute high-resolution in-orbit inspection, anomaly tracking, and space domain awareness for defense, civil, and commercial satellite operators.
Technical Integration and Sensor Capabilities
Under the operational agreement, HEO’s proprietary NEI software layer is integrated directly into Planet’s cloud-native ground infrastructure and Tasking API. The integration leverages Planet’s fleet of 21 sub-meter SkySat satellites operating in low Earth orbit.
The network architecture utilizes SkySat’s 50-centimeter sub-meter optical resolution to capture resolved imagery of target spacecraft and orbital debris. Through dynamic tasking via Planet’s automated cloud interface, SkySat platforms perform rapid sensor slew maneuvers to image objects passing within close proximity. This software transformation turns standard optical Earth observation sensors into space inspection cameras without requiring modifications to onboard satellite hardware.
Growth Context in Space Domain Awareness
The agreement follows a broader expansion of HEO’s orbital inspection network. In January 2026, HEO acquired the operational NewSat-34 Earth observation satellite from Satellogic to establish Australia’s first sovereign sub-meter imaging asset.
Integrating Planet’s SkySat constellation adds multi-angle coverage to HEO’s existing partner network, which processes imagery from secondary sensors across multiple orbital planes. The contract also expands commercial utility for Planet Labs, whose SkySat platform operates within cloud-based tasking architectures to serve both Earth observation and space-to-space monitoring markets.
Deployment Schedule
System testing and automated API cross-tasking between HEO Inspect and Planet’s SkySat fleet have been completed. The integrated Non-Earth Imaging service is fully operational across HEO’s commercial portal, providing real-time satellite inspection and collision risk assessments for global orbital assets.
