HEO raises $25 million to image satellites in orbit
Australian startup HEO closed a Series B round to expand its close-range imaging of spacecraft into geostationary orbit.
HEO was reported on September 21 to have raised a $25 million Series B. The startup uses cameras hosted on other satellites to capture flyby images of spacecraft in orbit.
Space imagery that does not look at Earth
HEO calls its service non-Earth imaging: the camera photographs other satellites and space objects rather than the Earth’s surface. Such images may help operators inspect a spacecraft’s exterior, understand a malfunction or identify an unfamiliar object.
Instead of operating only dedicated imaging satellites, the company uses cameras and sensors hosted on partner spacecraft. The model is intended to create more observation points.
The next destination is geostationary orbit
The new capital is intended to expand HEO’s imaging capability from low-Earth orbit into geostationary orbit. Many satellites supporting communications, weather and other critical services operate there.
HEO co-founder and CEO William Crowe compared the service with visual inspections of buildings or aircraft. The investment, however, does not mean the new orbital capability is already fully operational.
Sources and date
News date: September 21, 2026. Axios: https://www.axios.com/2026/09/21/heo-satellite-imagery
HEO official website and product description: https://www.heospace.com/ ; the funding amount and expansion plan are based on Axios’s reporting and interview with the company.
Sources and image credits
This article was prepared by the Founders Cafe editorial team.
