VLEO platform
Satellite design built to survive very low orbit
Albedo
US startup building satellites that fly unusually low, near the top of the atmosphere, to get sharper pictures and faster links. Its first satellite proved the approach worked, then lost contact after about nine months.
Products, by altitude
Low Earth orbit · 160–2,000 km
In development ![]()
Retired Clarity-1
Test satellite that took sharp pictures from very low orbit
Known rounds
Government awards
| Date | Agency | Program | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2025 | U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory | STRATFI (very low Earth orbit imagery and operations data; potential funding of up to $12M) | $12M5 |
Milestones
- Jan 2026 Albedo reported it lost contact with Clarity-1 about nine months into the mission and that recovery looked unlikely, while saying the flight proved very low orbit operations work. Company statement6
- Mar 2025 Albedo's first satellite, Clarity-1, launched on SpaceX Transporter-13. Company statement6
Sources
Updated Oct 22, 2026 · How we source facts · Suggest a correction