Trích: "Tiny Satellites From Silicon Valley May Help Track North Korea Missiles - Source: NY Times"

"The new generation of tiny, cheap satellites has made that outcome more achievable. Capella plans to loft its first radar satellite late this year and build up to 36 orbital radars, within the range the congressional report recommended.

In addition to Capella, private companies rushing to make and exploit new generations of small radar satellites include Ursa Space Systems in Ithaca, N.Y.; UrtheCast in Vancouver, Canada; and Iceye in Espoo, Finland. Like many new companies seeking to make small satellites, most have strong ties to Silicon Valley.

The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency’s initiative, known as the Commercial Geoint Activity, builds on programs in which the agency bought radar-satellite data from Canada, Italy and Germany as part of its evaluation of the new civilian technologies.

Mr. Cardillo said the new partnerships could help the United States close the gaps in tracking Mr. Kim’s rapidly expanding arsenal of threatening missiles.

“If any of these companies, new or old, can help fill those gaps,” he said, “then I’m interested.” "