Umbra, based in Santa Barbara, California, builds and operates synthetic aperture radar satellites and in August 2023 released a 16 cm resolution radar image, which it called the highest-resolution commercial satellite image ever released.
At a glance
| Price from | Custom |
| Best for | Analysts who need the sharpest commercial radar imagery |
From Umbra's own website.
What stands out
- Very high radar resolution
- Open data programme for researchers
Worth knowing
- Smaller fleet than ICEYE
- Limited public financial detail
How it ranks
Umbra is ranked 4th of 10 in Best Space Startups in Earth Observation (Lister Score 93.3).
#4 in Best Space Startups in Earth Observation · Lister Score 93.3
Umbra, founded in 2015 and based in Santa Barbara, California, builds and operates synthetic aperture radar satellites and in August 2023 released a 16 cm resolution radar image, which it called the highest-resolution commercial satellite image ever released. It was one of three companies awarded National Reconnaissance Office commercial SAR contracts in August 2026.
NOAA selected Umbra as a commercial SAR data provider under a Space-Based Environmental Monitoring contract that took effect in September 2026..
| Rank | Best Space Startups in Earth Observation | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | ICEYE | 97.1 |
| 2 | Muon Space | 95.8 |
| 3 | Open Cosmos | 94.6 |
| 4 | Umbra | 93.3 |
| 5 | Pixxel | 92.0 |
| 6 | EarthDaily Analytics | 90.7 |
| 7 | Hydrosat | 89.4 |
| 8 | SatVu | 88.1 |
| 9 | constellr | 86.8 |
| 10 | Wyvern | 85.5 |
Frequently asked questions
How does Umbra rank on Lister?
Umbra is ranked 4th of 10 in Best Space Startups in Earth Observation (Lister Score 93.3).
Appears in
- #7 in Best Earth Observation Satellite Companies · Deep Tech
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