Maxar Technologies

{{Infobox company

| name = Maxar Technologies Inc.

| logo = Maxar yellow logo.svg

| alt =

| founded = {{Start date and age|2017|10|5|df=yes}}

| key_people = {{unbulleted list|Daniel Smoot (President and CEO)|Arvind Srinivasan (CTO) Mike Mohn (CFO)|Anat Gan Eden (CHRO)}}

| industry = Geospatial solutions and services, engineering services, communications and imaging satellites

| products =

| revenue = {{decrease}} {{US$|1.61 billion|link=yes}} (2022)

| operating_income = {{decrease}} {{US$|11 million}} (2022)

| net_income = {{decrease}} {{US$|-150 million}} (2022)

| assets = {{increase}} {{US$|4.61 billion}} (2022)

| equity = {{decrease}} {{US$|1.39 billion}} (2022)

| num_employees = 2,600 (December 2024)

| parent =

| owner = Advent International

| subsid =

| homepage = {{URL|https://www.maxar.com/}}

| location = Westminster, Colorado, United States

| footnotes = {{cite web |url=https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/1121142/000155837023001756/maxr-20221231x10k.htm |title=Maxar Technologies Inc. 2022 Annual Report (Form 10-K) |date=22 February 2023 |website=SEC.gov |publisher=U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission}}{{cite web |title=DigitalGlobe head Daniel Jablonsky new CEO of Maxar as Howard Lance resigns |url=https://www.geospatialworld.net/news/digitalglobe-head-dan-jablonsky-new-ceo-of-maxar-as-howard-lance-resigns/ |website=Geospatial World |date=January 14, 2019 |publisher=Geospatial Media & Communications |access-date=15 January 2019}}

}}

Maxar Technologies Inc. is an American space technology company headquartered in Westminster, Colorado, United States, specializing in geospatial intelligence, Earth observation, and on-orbit servicing satellites, satellite products, and related services. DigitalGlobe and MDA Holdings Company merged to become Maxar Technologies on October 5, 2017.{{Cite news |url=https://www.geospatialworld.net/news/mda-dg-combined-entity-to-be-rebranded-as-maxar-technologies/ |title=MDA-DG combined entity to be rebranded as Maxar Technologies |work=Geospatial World |access-date=2017-10-06 |language=en-US}}

Maxar Technologies is the parent holding company of Maxar Space Systems, headquartered in Palo Alto, California, US; and Maxar Intelligence, headquartered in Westminster, Colorado, US. From 2017 to 2023, it was dual-listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange and New York Stock Exchange as MAXR.

In May 2023, Maxar was acquired by private equity firm Advent International, in an all-cash transaction worth $6.4 billion.

Maxar's satellite data was used by Ukraine as part of its defense against Russia's invasion of its territory.{{Cite web |date=2025-03-07 |title=US satellite company Maxar reportedly cuts off Ukraine’s access to imagery |url=https://www.politico.eu/article/us-satellite-company-maxar-cuts-off-ukraine-access-imagery-report-says/ |website=Politico |language=en-GB}} In March 2025, Maxar worked with the Donald Trump administration to shut down Ukraine's access to the data.

History

Maxar Technologies was created in 2017 from the purchase of DigitalGlobe by MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates (MDA), who renamed the company Maxar.{{cite press release |author=Maxar Technologies |author-link=Maxar Technologies |title=MDA Completes Acquisition of DigitalGlobe, Creates Industry Leader in Satellite Systems, Earth Imagery, Geospatial Solutions and Analytics |url=https://investor.maxar.com/investor-news/press-release-details/2017/MDA-Completes-Acquisition-of-DigitalGlobe-Creates-Industry-Leader-in-Satellite-Systems-Earth-Imagery-Geospatial-Solutions-and-Analytics/default.aspx |date=5 October 2017 |access-date=20 November 2020}} The headquarters of the combined entity was then established in Westminster, Colorado. The company was dual-listed on the TSX and NYSE.{{cite news |url= https://www.bizjournals.com/denver/news/2018/02/14/maxar-technologies-parent-of-digitalglobe-moves.html |title= Maxar Technologies, parent of DigitalGlobe, moves HQ to Colorado |author= Greg Avery |publisher= Denver Business Journal |date= 14 February 2018 }}{{cite web |url= https://investor.maxar.com/investor-news/press-release-details/2017/MDA-Completes-Acquisition-of-DigitalGlobe-Creates-Industry-Leader-in-Satellite-Systems-Earth-Imagery-Geospatial-Solutions-and-Analytics/default.aspx |title= MDA Completes Acquisition of DigitalGlobe, Creates Industry Leader in Satellite Systems, Earth Imagery, Geospatial Solutions and Analytics |date= 5 October 2017 |publisher= MAxar Technologies |author= Maxar }}

In Q3 2018 Maxar's revenue and adjusted profit missed estimates due to a decline in its satellite manufacturing segment oriented towards geosynchronous Earth orbit communications, which led to a plunge in the stock price.{{cite news | url=https://www.reuters.com/article/buzz-maxar-technologies-hits-record-low-idCAL3N1XB65O | title=BUZZ-Maxar Technologies: Hits record low on Q3 results miss, forecast cut | newspaper=Reuters | date=October 31, 2018 }} The situation was compounded in January 2019 with the loss of their relatively new WorldView-4 satellite, and the market capitalization fell from $3 to $0.3 billion in half a year,{{cite web | url=https://www.macrotrends.net/stocks/charts/MAXR/maxar-technologies/market-cap | title=Maxar Technologies Market Cap 2016-2022 | MAXR }} and with an insurance payment only covering a fifth of WV-4 total launch cost the company had to restructure its debts in April 2019.{{cite web | url=https://www.fool.com/investing/2019/04/04/why-maxar-technologies-stock-plummeted-45-in-march.aspx | title=Why Maxar Technologies Stock Plummeted 45% in March | date=April 4, 2019 }}

In May 2019, the company was selected as the provider of the power and propulsion element for the Lunar Gateway developed by NASA.{{Cite web|url=https://www.theverge.com/2019/5/23/18637153/nasa-lunar-gateway-artemis-moon-program-space-station|title=NASA picks satellite maker Maxar to build the first crucial piece of its new lunar space station|last=Grush|first=Loren|date=2019-05-23|website=The Verge|access-date=2019-05-23}}

On December 30, 2019, the company announced that it had entered into a definitive agreement to sell MDA's assets to a consortium of financial sponsors led by Northern Private Capital for {{CAD|1 billion}} (US$765 million). The sale includes all of MDA's Canadian businesses, encompassing ground stations, radar satellite products, robotics, defense, and satellite components, representing approximately 1,900 employees.Maxar to Sell MDA for $765 Million - Parabolicarc.com http://parabolicarc.com/2019/12/30/maxar-to-sell-mda-for-765-million/#more-71809

On April 8, 2020, the sale of MDA to NPC officially closed. The divesting of its Canadian MDA portion returned MDA to a separate operating company.{{Cite press release|url=https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/iconic-space-technology-firm-returns-to-canadian-control-as-sale-of-mda-to-northern-private-capital-closes-825676127.html|title=Iconic Space Technology Firm Returns to Canadian Control as Sale of MDA to Northern Private Capital Closes}} The newly formed privately held Canadian company was named MDA Ltd.,{{Cite web|title=MDA|url=https://mda.space/|access-date=2020-10-27|publisher=MDA|language=en}} which later listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange.

In 2022, Maxar published several satellite images that showed a Russian military convoy during its invasion of Ukraine.{{Cite news |last=Beech |first=Eric |date=28 February 2022 |title=Russian military convoy north of Kyiv stretches for 40 miles -Maxar |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russian-military-convoy-north-kyiv-stretches-40-miles-maxar-2022-03-01/ |access-date=28 February 2022}}{{Cite web |date=2022-03-01 |title=More than 70 Ukrainian soldiers killed in Russian attack on base near Kharkiv |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/mar/01/fears-of-bloody-fight-for-kyiv-as-huge-russian-army-convoy-gathers-on-outskirts |access-date=2022-03-01 |website=The Guardian |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2022-03-01 |title=The satellite giant bringing global crisis into focus |url=https://www.theregister.com/2022/03/01/maxar_satellite_imagery/ |access-date=2022-03-06 |website=The Register |language=en}}

In September 2023, Maxar was broken into two business units, Maxar Space Systems (based in California, led by CEO Chris Johnson) and Maxar Intelligence (based in Colorado, led by CEO Dan Smoot).{{cite web |title=Maxar Intelligence Names Dan Smoot as CEO, Announces New Management Team {{!}} WashingtonExec |url=https://washingtonexec.com/2023/10/maxar-intelligence-names-dan-smoot-as-ceo-announces-new-management-team/ |access-date=13 February 2025 |date=31 October 2023}}

In early March 2025, Maxar Technologies suspended Ukraine's access to its satellite imagery, stating that the request came from the Trump administration.{{cite web|access-date=2025-03-07 |date=2025-03-07 |language=en-US |title=Maxar Cuts Off Ukraine’s Access To Satellite Imagery |url=https://mil.in.ua/en/news/maxar-cuts-off-ukraine-s-access-to-satellite-imagery/ |website=mil.in.ua}} Maxar had been a leading provider of satellite data to Ukraine, which the country used as part of its efforts to defend itself against the Russian invasion. The data was used to track the movement of Russian troops and assess damage to Ukrainian infrastructure.

= Controversy over BSI Partnership and Pahalgam Imagery Orders (2025) =

In May 2025, Maxar Technologies faced scrutiny following reports that it had received an unusual spike in orders for high-resolution satellite images of Pahalgam, a region in Jammu and Kashmir, India. Between February 2 and 22, 2025, at least 12 such orders were placed, which was double the usual number.{{Cite web |last=Pillai |first=Soumya |date=2025-05-09 |title=Orders for Pahalgam satellite images from US firm peaked two months before attack |url=https://theprint.in/defence/pahalgam-satellite-image-us-space-tech-firm-maxar-technologies/2620666/? |access-date=2025-05-13 |website=ThePrint |language=en-US}} This surge occurred shortly after Maxar partnered with Business Systems International Pvt Ltd (BSI), a Pakistani geospatial firm.

BSI is owned by Obaidullah Syed, a Pakistani-American businessman who was convicted in 2021 for illegally exporting high-performance computing equipment and software to Pakistan's nuclear research agency. Despite this conviction, BSI was listed as a Maxar partner in 2023.{{Cite web |last=Pillai |first=Soumya |date=2025-05-10 |title=How Maxar partner fooled US manufactures into aiding Pakistan's nuclear programme |url=https://theprint.in/defence/obaidullah-syed-bsi-maxar-pakistan-nuclear-exports/2621784/?utm_source=chatgpt.com |access-date=2025-05-13 |website=ThePrint |language=en-US}} Following the revelations about the satellite imagery orders, Maxar removed BSI from its list of partners on its website.{{Cite web |title=Maxar Removes Pakistani Firm BSI from Partner List Following Pahalgam Satellite Imagery Controversy |url=https://www.businessworld.in/article/maxar-removes-pakistani-firm-bsi-from-partner-list-following-pahalgam-satellite-imagery-controversy-556405?utm_source=chatgpt.com |access-date=2025-05-13 |website=BW Businessworld |language=en}}

Maxar stated that BSI had not placed any orders for imagery of Pahalgam or its surrounding areas in 2025 and had not accessed any such imagery from its archives. However, the timing of the imagery orders and BSI's partnership raised concerns among defense analysts and experts.{{Cite web |last=पिल्लई |first=सौम्या |date=2025-05-10 |title=हमले से दो महीने पहले पहलगाम की सैटेलाइट तस्वीरों के लिए अमेरिकी कंपनी को सबसे ज़्यादा ऑर्डर मिले |url=https://hindi.theprint.in/india/two-months-before-attack-an-american-company-got-most-orders-for-satellite-images-of-pahalgam/816918/?utm_source=chatgpt.com |access-date=2025-05-13 |website=ThePrint Hindi |language=hi-IN}}

In May 2025, it was further reported that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security had earlier complained that BSI had sold satellite imagery to an arm of the Pakistani government. This raised additional concerns about the firm’s access to sensitive geospatial data and its ties to Maxar Technologies.{{Cite web |last=Pillai |first=Soumya |date=2025-05-12 |title=US Homeland Security knew in 2020 Pakistani firm illegally sold satellite images to Pak govt |url=https://theprint.in/science/us-homeland-security-complained-pakistani-firm-bsi-sold-satellite-images-to-pak-govt-arm/2622794/ |access-date=2025-05-13 |website=ThePrint |language=en-US}}

=Timeline=

1969: John MacDonald and Vern Dettwiler founded MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates.
1993: MDA sells its Electro-Optical Division (EOP) based in Richmond Canada to a Swiss Private Equity firm which merges with Cymbolic Sciences based in California.
1995: MDA was acquired by Orbital Sciences for $67 million in stock{{cite news|url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=990CE3D81030F935A3575AC0A963958260|title=Orbital Sciences Deal|date=1995-09-06|access-date=2006-07-15|work=New York Times}}
1996: acquired Iotek, a supplier of signal processing and sonar technology for military customers, for undisclosed sum{{cite web|url=http://www.mdacorporation.com/news/pr/pr1996020701.html|title=MDA to Acquire Iotek Inc. of Halifax|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060506033702/http://www.mdacorporation.com/news/pr/pr1996020701.html|archive-date=2006-05-06|url-status=dead|access-date=2006-07-15}}
2000: entered joint venture with LandAmerica Financial Group to create LandMDA, a provider of property reports to lenders{{cite web|url=http://www.eomonline.com/Common/Archives/2000oct/00oct_paul.html|title=In Real Estate, Geographic Information and the Internet Changes Everything|access-date=2006-07-15}}
2000/01: Orbital Sciences divested its MDA shares through an initial public offering; trades as {{tsx|MDA}}{{citation needed|date=March 2013}}
2002: acquired Automated Mining Systems of Aurora, Ontario for $225,000{{cite web|url=http://www.mdacorporation.com/news/pr/pr2002041101.html|title=MDA Acquires Small Robotic Mining Company|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060515015608/http://www.mdacorporation.com/news/pr/pr2002041101.html|archive-date=2006-05-15|url-status=dead|access-date=2006-07-15}}
2002: acquired Dynacs for $3.1 million, with an additional $6.8 million contingent on performance (now "MDA US Systems, LLC", located in Houston, Texas)
2003: acquired Millar & Bryce, a commercial provider of land information in Scotland, for $21.32 million, with $1.76 million contingent on performance.{{cite web|url=http://www.mdacorporation.com/news/pr/pr2003021001.html|title=MDA Acquires Leading Land Information Company in Scotland|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060506033243/http://www.mdacorporation.com/news/pr/pr2003021001.html|archive-date=2006-05-06|url-status=dead|access-date=2006-07-15}}
2004: acquired Marshall & Swift / Boeckh for $337.8 million, with $104.9 million contingent on performance.
2005: acquired business of EMS Technologies Canada (previously RCA Canada, which then became the Montreal division of SPAR Aerospace), a major supplier and subcontractor, for $8.9 million
2006: expanded into financial services with acquisition of Mindbox, a supplier of advanced decision systems for mortgage lending, for US$12.6 million, with up to $10.75 million contingent on performance{{cite web|url=http://www.mdacorporation.com/investor/mda_2005_annualreport.pdf|title=Annual Report 2005|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060506031134/http://www.mdacorporation.com/investor/mda_2005_annualreport.pdf|archive-date=2006-05-06|url-status=dead|access-date=2006-07-15}}
2006: acquired xit2 Ltd. (Nr Charlbury, Oxfordshire, UK), information exchange solutions{{buzzword inline|date=September 2019}} for lenders and home surveyors and other outsourced service providers{{cite web|url=http://www.mdacorporation.com/news/pr/pr2006052201.shtml|title=MDA Acquires Leading Provider Of Electronic Exchange Solutions To Lenders And Surveyors In UK|access-date=2006-07-15}}
2006: acquired Lyttle & Co. (Belfast, Northern Ireland), property and related search information{{cite web|url=http://www.mdacorporation.com/news/pr/pr2006052501.shtml|title=MDA Acquires Legal Search Firm In Northern Ireland|access-date=2006-07-15}}
2007: acquired Alliance Spacesystems, Inc.{{cite web|url=http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewpr.html?pid=24184|title=MDA Acquires U.S.-Based Alliance Spacesystems|date=December 5, 2007 |access-date=2013-05-14}} (now "Maxar Space Robotics LLC", located in Pasadena, CA, US)
2008: MDA announced the sale of its Information Systems and Geospatial Services operations to Alliant Techsystems of Edina, Minnesota for $1.325 billion.{{cite news|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/mda-selling-canadarm-business-to-u-s-firm-1.739189|title=MDA Selling Canadarm Business to U.S. Firm|date=2008-01-08|access-date=2008-02-21|publisher=CBC News}} However, amongst much media coverage, the sale was rejected by the federal government of Canada under the Investment Canada Act.{{cite news|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/ottawa-reaffirms-decision-to-block-mda-deal/article18450585/|title=Ottawa reaffirms decision to block MDA deal|date=2008-05-09|access-date=2020-01-25|publisher=The Globe and Mail}}
2008: Canadian government officially blocked the sale of MDA to ATK on May 8, 2008{{cite news|url=http://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/ic1.nsf/eng/04219.html|title=Minister of Industry Confirms Initial Decision on Proposed Sale of Macdonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd. to Alliant Techsystems Inc.|date=2008-05-08|access-date=2009-01-04|publisher=Industry Canada}}
2012: acquired Space Systems/Loral for US$875 million, making MDA one of the world's leading communication satellite companies.[http://seekingalpha.com/article/687611-macdonald-dettwiler-and-associates-ceo-announces-transformational-us-acquisition-conference-transcript MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates CEO Announces Transformational US Acquisition Conference (Transcript). Retrieved on 06-27-12.]
2014: acquired the Advanced Systems business line (formerly ERIM International) of General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems division.{{Cite web|url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/mda-completes-strategic-capability-acquisition-in-the-united-states-278063631.html|title=October 3, 2014 – MDA completes strategic capability acquisition in the United States|website=www.prnewswire.com|access-date=2018-06-25}}
2017: Completed its acquisition of DigitalGlobe, MDA now will be named Maxar Technologies, dual-listed on NYSE and TSX. MDA will then be a subsidiary of US-based Maxar by 2019.{{cite news|url=https://nationalpost.com/news/politics/canadarm-creator-to-transform-into-us-company-raising-concerns-of-tech-heading-south-of-the-border|title=Canadarm creator to transform into U.S. company, raising concerns of tech heading south of the border|last1=Pugliese|first1=David|date=9 November 2017|work=National Post|access-date=9 November 2017}}
2018: Announced acquisition of Neptec for $32 million.{{cite news|url=https://spacenews.com/maxar-acquires-robotics-firm-neptec-for-32-million/|title=Maxar acquires robotics firm Neptec for $32 million|last1=Henry|first1=Caleb|date=16 July 2018|work=SpaceNews|access-date=16 July 2018}}
2019: Completed U.S. domestication, changing the parent company's incorporation from Canada to Delaware, USA."[http://investor.maxar.com/investor-news/press-release-details/2019/Maxar-Technologies-Completes-US-Domestication/default.aspx Maxar Technologies Completes U.S. Domestication."] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190113010408/http://investor.maxar.com/investor-news/press-release-details/2019/Maxar-Technologies-Completes-US-Domestication/default.aspx |date=January 13, 2019 }} Maxar Technologies.
2020: MDA is sold to a consortium of Canadian investors led by Northern Private Capital. This sale includes the Houston-based MDA US Systems, LLC.
2020: Completed its acquisition of Vricon, Inc for $140 million. Vricon is a global leader in satellite-derived 3D data for defense and intelligence markets {{Cite press release |title=Maxar Technologies Completes Acquisition of Vricon, Inc. {{!}} Maxar|url=https://investor.maxar.com/investor-news/press-release-details/2020/Maxar-Technologies-Completes-Acquisition-of-Vricon-Inc/default.aspx|access-date=2020-07-01|website=www.maxar.com}}
2022: Maxar to be taken private through an acquisition led by Advent International, in a cash deal worth $6.4 billion.{{cite web |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2022/12/16/maxar-selling-to-private-equity-investors-advent-bci.html |title=Space company Maxar agrees to go private in $6.4 billion deal |date=December 16, 2022 |last=Sheetz |first=Michael |website=CNBC}}{{Cite web|url=https://spacenews.com/maxar-technologies-acquired-by-private-equity-firm-in-6-4-billion-deal/|title=Maxar is being acquired by Advent International, a global firm with $89 billion in assets under management|date=2022-12-16|website=Space News|access-date=2022-12-16}} The acquisition completed in May 2023.{{cite web |last=Alamalhodaei |first=Aria |date=May 3, 2023 |title=Maxar completes $6.4B sale to private equity |url=https://techcrunch.com/2023/05/03/maxar-completes-6-4b-sale-to-private-equity/ |website=TechCrunch}}
2024: Maxar Intelligence launches WorldView Legion a fleet of six high-performing satellites that dramatically expanded the ability to revisit the most rapidly changing areas on Earth, enabling more near-time insights.{{cite web |last1=Erwin |first1=Sandra |title=Maxar prepares for final WorldView Legion launch to complete advanced imaging constellation |url=https://spacenews.com/maxar-prepares-for-final-worldview-legion-launch-to-complete-advanced-imaging-constellation/ |website=SpaceNews |access-date=13 February 2025 |date=21 November 2024}}
2025: Maxar shuts down access to satellite images in Ukraine following request from the Trump administration.
2025: Came under scrutiny for Pahalgam imagery orders and prior partnership with BSI, a Pakistani firm flagged by U.S. Homeland Security for selling satellite data to Pakistan’s government.{{Cite web |last=Pillai |first=Soumya |date=2025-05-12 |title=US Homeland Security knew in 2020 Pakistani firm illegally sold satellite images to Pak govt |url=https://theprint.in/science/us-homeland-security-complained-pakistani-firm-bsi-sold-satellite-images-to-pak-govt-arm/2622794/ |access-date=2025-05-13 |website=ThePrint |language=en-US}}