Palo Alto, Calif. – October 6, 2025 – Array Labs today announced it has been awarded a contract from the U.S. Navy’s Office of Naval Research (ONR) to study the feasibility of applying its distributed space-based radar technology to wide-area Airborne Moving Target Indication (AMTI) missions. 

Low-cost and pervasive space-based AMTI capabilities are a top Science & Technology (S&T) priority for ONR. (AMTI refers to the detection and tracking of moving airborne objects such as aircraft or drones, providing critical situational awareness and enabling faster, more informed decision-making in complex operational environments.) Moving this capability to space will provide global, resilient coverage while reducing reliance on manned radar aircraft.

Under this study, Array Labs will work closely with defense stakeholders to evaluate how distributed, formation-flying radar satellites could contribute to persistent wide-area reconnaissance and moving target detection. The work will focus on exploring technical approaches, assessing operational value, and identifying areas where space-based radar could complement existing airborne systems.

“We’re honored to support the Office of Naval Research as it evaluates new approaches to persistent, wide-area moving target indication,” said Andrew Peterson, CEO of Array Labs. “This study gives us the opportunity to work with our partners to explore how space-based radar clusters might augment current and future sensing architectures.”

This award builds on Array Labs’ ongoing work in advanced space-based radar technologies, including single-pass 3D imaging and wide-area monitoring. The company will apply its expertise in distributed radar, high-power antenna arrays, and formation-flying radar satellites to inform the study. Distributed radar systems offer unique benefits in power, sensitivity, resolution, and resilience, opening new possibilities for both defense and commercial applications.

Strategic Context

AMTI has become an area of growing emphasis within U.S. defense planning, where senior leaders have highlighted the importance of extending moving target detection into space, enabling operators to track airborne threats continuously and share timely data with joint forces.

Traditional airborne AMTI platforms have delivered valuable capabilities for decades, but they face limitations in persistence, survivability, and cost. Aircraft and drones must operate within contested airspace, making them vulnerable to adversary defenses and constrained by fuel, crew, and basing requirements. By contrast, satellite-based systems can provide continuous, global coverage from orbit — a natural evolution that defense leaders view as more resilient and ultimately inevitable.

Congress has supported this direction with dedicated funding for exploratory work and early capability development through the end of the decade, and the Pentagon is taking steps toward full space-based AMTI capabilities in the 2030s.

About Array Labs

Array Labs (YC S22), headquartered in Palo Alto, California, designs and operates advanced distributed radar satellite systems. Its technology portfolio includes multi-static radar architectures capable of 3D imaging, wide-area surveillance, and resilient sensing solutions for government and commercial partners.