MDA Selects SpaceX for Chorus Constellation Launch 

MDA Headquarters (photo by MDA)

MDA selected SpaceX to launch its Chorus next-generation Earth observation constellation, planned for launch in the fourth quarter of 2025. The mission will launch on a Falcon 9 rocket, MDA announced Wednesday. 

MDA CEO Mike Greenley said Chorus production is well underway. MDA announced the constellation in December 2021. It will build on the company’s RadarSat heritage, with C-band synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellites supplied by MDA, and X-band SAR satellites supplied by Iceye. 

The Chorus constellation is designed to operate in a unique mid-inclination orbit and image day or night, regardless of weather conditions. It is designed to collect over a 700 km-wide imaging swath, down to sub-meter high resolution.

“The Earth is big, dynamic and evolving daily, and our ability to see, measure and analyze what is happening in near real-time – and over time – is imperative to meeting the needs of our global customer base. The insight that Chorus will provide to governments, companies and organizations around the world will drive decisions and action, and will help to solve some of the biggest problems facing our planet,” Greenley commented.