Unseenlabs Unveils Gen 2 RF Detection Satellites to Expand Multi-Domain Surveillance

Image credits: Unseenlabs

French space technology company Unseenlabs has taken a major step forward in the evolution of space-based radio frequency (RF) intelligence with the deployment of its second-generation satellite architecture. The milestone significantly expands the company's capabilities beyond maritime surveillance, enabling comprehensive multi-domain awareness across maritime, terrestrial, and space environments.

The announcement comes with the successful launch of BRO-31, the first satellite in Unseenlabs' Gen 2 fleet. Integrated by Exolaunch and launched aboard SpaceX's Falcon 9 Transporter-17 rideshare mission from Vandenberg Space Force Base, the spacecraft represents a significant technological leap for the company's growing RF intelligence constellation.

From Maritime Monitoring to Full Multi-Domain Awareness

For nearly a decade, Unseenlabs has built its reputation by delivering commercial space-based RF detection services that enable governments and commercial operators to monitor vessels operating without traditional tracking systems.

Its first-generation constellation specialized in maritime domain awareness, helping organizations detect, geolocate, and analyze radio frequency emissions across the world's oceans.

The introduction of Gen 2 dramatically broadens that mission.

Rather than focusing exclusively on maritime operations, the new satellites are designed to detect RF activity across land, sea, and space, providing intelligence that supports increasingly complex commercial, security, and defense missions.

As geopolitical tensions, spectrum congestion, and electronic warfare activities continue to increase worldwide, the ability to identify and characterize RF emissions across multiple operational environments has become an increasingly valuable strategic capability.

A Tenfold Increase in Satellite Capability

BRO-31 also represents a significant engineering evolution.

While Unseenlabs' previous satellites weighed approximately 15 kilograms, the Gen 2 platform transitions to a much larger 150-kilogram microsatellite, dramatically increasing onboard processing capability, payload performance, and sensing capacity. Despite the larger platform, Unseenlabs continues to rely on its distinctive monosatellite architecture, where each satellite operates independently rather than relying on distributed sensing across multiple spacecraft.

This architecture enables rapid deployment while maintaining operational resilience and flexibility.

Broader Frequency Coverage Unlocks New Intelligence Applications

One of the most significant advancements introduced by Gen 2 is expanded RF spectrum coverage.

The new satellites can detect signals across L, S, C, X, and Ku frequency bands, greatly increasing the diversity of radio emissions that can be monitored from orbit.

This wider frequency range enables a variety of new civilian and defense applications, including:

• Enhanced maritime surveillance

• Spectrum monitoring and interference detection

• Defense systems monitoring

• RF geolocation and signal characterization

• Multi-domain situational awareness

• Electronic intelligence support

These expanded capabilities allow operators to better understand increasingly contested electromagnetic environments while improving operational decision-making across both commercial and government sectors.

Supporting Defense and Commercial Decision-Making

Clément Galic, CEO and Co-Founder of Unseenlabs, explains:

“Our second-generation satellites significantly expand both the breadth and depth of our RF detection capabilities. This unlocks detection, geolocation and characterization of a broader range of activities across maritime, land and space domains. This opens new strategic use cases while reinforcing our ability to support our customers across commercial, security and defense markets.”

The expanded architecture enables the detection, geolocation, and characterization of a much wider range of radio frequency activities across multiple operational domains, creating new strategic opportunities while strengthening support for customers operating in commercial, security, and defense markets.

Building One of the World's Largest Commercial RF Constellations

Founded in 2015, Unseenlabs has emerged as one of the world's leading providers of commercial space-based RF intelligence services.

With the addition of BRO-31, the company now operates a constellation of 23 satellites, serving governments, public institutions, and private-sector customers worldwide. Headquartered in Rennes, France, the company employs approximately 140 people and maintains an international presence through offices in Singapore and teams in the United States.