Deployment of First Portable 3D Search Radar Scout-S (TM) in the Indo-Pacific Region to Expand Space Domain Awareness for Space Operations

LeoLabs Inc. (Headquarters: Menlo Park, CA, hereinafter LeoLabs) announced today, June 10, 2026 (local time), the completion of deployment of its new radar system, Scout-S (TM), designed to expand space domain awareness for the United States and its allies and partner nations in space operations. Scout-S, a portable 3-D search radar, represents the next evolution of the LeoLabs radar architecture, enabling rapid deployment, relocation, and restoration, complementing traditional fixed space surveillance systems.

◆ Challenges to Space Superiority

As adversarial space activities by foreign nations accelerate, performance requirements for Space Domain Awareness (SDA) are evolving beyond periodic object detection and tracking to include persistent surveillance, characterization, and immediate operational awareness.

Tony Frazier, Chief Executive Officer of LeoLabs, stated: "As threats in orbit evolve, so must the tracking architecture. The acceleration of adversarial space activities by foreign nations challenges the space superiority of the United States and its allies and partners. In this environment, the ability to periodically track objects in orbit to propagate their trajectories is no longer sufficient. What our customers need is the ability to provide persistent surveillance of maneuvering payloads and respond to emerging threats."

◆ Development Background of Scout-S

LeoLabs is a world-leading mission partner providing persistent orbital activity intelligence. It supports safe, secure, and dynamic space operations for allied and partner nation space commands, government space agencies, and satellite operators by providing a distributed multi-mission radar network, a real-time orbital data catalog, and AI-powered analytics. LeoLabs' mission is to provide a "living map" of activity in space to protect life on Earth.

Scout-S was developed as part of a strategy to rapidly expand LeoLabs' global sensor network and advance cost-effective radar technology aligned with the mission requirements of the United States and its allies and partners. It integrates key technologies such as 3-D scanning, Direct Radiating Array (DRA), and modular S-band electronic circuit design to enable search, detection, and tracking of high-interest objects in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and Very Low Earth Orbit (VLEO). The system also allows for a more resilient architecture by distributing coverage. To facilitate easy relocation and restoration even in hostile environments, Scout-S is housed in an ISO-standard 20-foot container, supporting rapid transport by land, sea, or air.

The first Scout-S system has been deployed in the Indo-Pacific region and successfully observed satellites within hours of activation. Initial test operations confirmed the ability to continuously track Chinese military reconnaissance satellites, including remote sensing satellites flying at altitudes of 800-1000 km. It also successfully tracked a Chinese winged test spacecraft and detected VLEO objects flying at an altitude of 230 km.

◆ Innovative Capabilities of Scout-S

1. Extended Observation Windows and Operating Modes: Scout-S provides a dramatic improvement in orbital object tracking capability compared to LeoLabs' legacy radar systems. The observation window per pass has been extended from seconds to minutes, enabling more accurate characterization of object activity and operational decision-making. It also features advanced search-to-track and Track-While-Scan (TWS) modes, enabling agile detection and tracking of high-interest objects in orbit, including non-cooperative launches.

2. Mission-Driven Sensor Deployment: Deployed in a strategically important region, the first Scout-S unit demonstrates that a portable sensor can instantly expand coverage in the most mission-critical areas. The radar is already integrated into LeoLabs' global radar network, contributing to the update of the company's catalog of over 26,000 LEO objects. It will also serve as a testbed for future technologies and is scheduled to participate in experiments during the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command's Valiant Shield 2026 exercise.

3. Future Applications for Multi-Domain Awareness: In the future, Scout is planned to support not only space surveillance but also missile warning, tracking, and multi-domain space awareness missions. This development has been selected for the U.S. Space Force's Tactical Funding Increase (TACFI) program and is also supported by private investment. The deployment of Scout-S marks a significant development milestone for LeoLabs' portable radar system, the ScoutTM series.