MDA Space announced a total of 41 early customer commitments for its upcoming CHORUS Earth observation constellation at the GEOINT Symposium yesterday. The disclosure provides a first look at the commercial traction for the company’s next-generation system, designed to secure and expand its established Earth observation data business as it prepares for the eventual retirement of its legacy RADARSAT-2 satellite.
The commitments include nine finalized early customer contracts and 32 letters of interest (LOIs). While the company did not disclose the dollar values or durations of the signed contracts, it noted the geographic spread covers regions across North America, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific.
CHORUS is a two-satellite Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) constellation that builds on MDA’s long heritage with the Canadian RADARSAT program. The system’s primary differentiator in an increasingly crowded SAR market is its “tipping and cueing” capability.
This is achieved by flying two specialized satellites in the same orbit. By combining an MDA-built satellite carrying a broad-area C-band radar with a trailing high-resolution X-band satellite—supplied through a partnership with Finnish company ICEYE—the system can scan 700-kilometre-wide swaths to detect activity, and then immediately cue the trailing sensor to capture sub-metre images of specific targets.
This hybrid approach targets a specific operational niche. While commercial competitors like Capella Space and Umbra offer very high-resolution X-band imagery, MDA’s architecture is designed to appeal to defence, maritime, and resource customers who first require wide-area surveillance over vast oceanic or terrestrial borders before zooming in on areas of interest.
“The number of early commitments to MDA CHORUS is a reflection of the trust customers have in MDA Space Earth observation products,” said CEO Mike Greenley in a statement. “Demand for Earth observation data and imagery is driving increased engagement with customers globally who are looking for dependable and near real-time access.”
The announcement comes just ahead of MDA Space’s Q1 2026 earnings call, scheduled for May 7. For the company’s Geointelligence division—one of its three main revenue pillars alongside Space Robotics and Satellite Systems—CHORUS is important for maintaining market share and supporting its long-term growth projections.
Looking ahead, MDA Space is preparing for a late 2026 launch aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9. As the constellation moves closer to its operational phase, the company’s focus will shift toward converting its 32 letters of interest into finalized agreements, aiming to establish a strong foundation of recurring revenue by the time the satellites reach orbit.