Perceptor: Astranis' micro-satellites to monitor geostationary satellites

Astranis unveiled the Perceptor line, a set of compact GEO-observing satellites built on its MicroGEO platform to monitor and characterize nearby satellites in geostationary orbit. The system will enable multi-angle flybys and enhanced awareness of GEO activity to protect space infrastructure and aid anomaly troubleshooting for government and commercial customers. A timeline for first Perceptor missions wasn’t disclosed. The move comes amid past near-encounters involving Russian and Chinese GEO satellites with U.S. assets, underscoring security concerns in high-Earth orbit.