Eight Companies Added to NASA's Commercial Satellite Data Acquisition Contract

NASA has added eight companies to its CSDA contract and will buy more data products from six existing vendors
The awards came under the program’s second on-ramp round, bringing in firms like Hydrosat, Muon Space and Orbital Sidekick
The commercial data is meant to supplement NASA’s Earth-observing satellites with sharper, more frequent imagery

NASA has brought eight new companies onto its Commercial Satellite Data Acquisition, or CSDA, contract and will buy additional data products from six firms already on the vehicle, broadening the pool of commercial satellite observations available to researchers and government users.

The agency announced the awards Thursday under the program’s second on-ramp round. The commercial data is meant to supplement NASA’s Earth-observing satellites with higher-resolution and more frequent observations.

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What Are the CSDA On-Ramp 2 Contract Details?

The CSDA Program On-Ramp 2 award is a firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, multiple-award contract. CSDA carried an original maximum value of $476 million and runs through Nov. 15, 2028, with performance dating back to 2023.

The structure includes periodic on-ramps that let NASA reopen the competition to add vendors and data products over time. The latest round names 14 awardees: Airbus DS Geo, GHGSat, Hydrosat, ICEYE US, ImageSat International, Kuva US, Muon Space, Orbital Sidekick, OroraTech USA, Planet Labs Federal, PlanetiQ, SATLANTIS US, Tomorrow.io and Wyvern.

Why Does NASA Buy Commercial Data?

NASA’s Earth Science Division runs the program to fill gaps in its own observations at a lower cost. Commercial providers can supply sharper imagery, more frequent revisits, and taskable, niche measurements that complement the agency’s satellite fleet. NASA uses the combined data for work such as mapping wildfires, tracking soil moisture and land subsidence, and building flood-mapping tools.

The agency framed the expansion as a sign of its commitment to public-private partnerships to broaden its scientific reach while holding down costs and delivering data to scientists and decision-makers faster. The program also coordinates with other federal agencies, including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the U.S. Geological Survey, and the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, as well as the European Space Agency and other international partners.