From Herndon to Orbit: HawkEye 360 Fuels Fairfax NOVA’s Commercial Space Economy

Pictured above (Left to Right): Mayor Kevin LeBlanc, Town of Herndon; Fairfax County Supervisor Jimmy Bierman, Dranesville District; Chief Operating Officer Todd Probert, HawkEye 360; Chief Information Officer Chris Herndon, HawkEye 360; Congressman James Walkinshaw, Virginia’s 11th District; Outgoing President and CEO Victor Hoskins, FCEDA; Fairfax County Vice Chair Kathy Smith, Sully District.

A decade after its founding in Fairfax NOVA, HawkEye 360 is expanding again, transforming its Herndon headquarters into a three-building campus for satellite engineering, manufacturing and space-based intelligence.

The space defense company celebrated the opening of its newest 18,951-square-foot facility this week, an expansion that will create 51 new jobs and grow its Fairfax County footprint to more than 38,000 square feet. The milestone reflects both HawkEye 360’s growth and Northern Virginia’s emergence as a national hub for commercial space and defense technology.

“We’re growing fast, 30-40% year over year. That means new jobs here in Herndon,” said HawkEye 360 Chief Operating Officer, Todd Probert. “I want to thank the state of Virginia, the county of Fairfax, and certainly the town of Herndon for being part of our journey.”

Founded in 2015, HawkEye 360 has grown from a space tech startup into a global leader in space-based radio frequency (RF) data and analytics. Its satellite constellation detects, characterizes and geolocates RF signals around the world, providing critical intelligence to U.S. defense, intelligence and national security customers.

Pictured above: HawkEye 360’s new command center.

The global mission continues to grow. This year, HawkEye 360’s newest Cluster 14 satellites became fully operational, expanding its collection capacity, while a new National Reconnaissance Office contract advanced the company from test and evaluation to an operational role providing commercial RF data for U.S. national security missions. The Herndon campus brings constellation operations, data processing, software and payload development, satellite assembly and corporate functions together.

Pictured above: Congressman James Walkinshaw, 11th Congressional District.

Congressman James Walkinshaw, who kicked off the ceremony, gave a historical perspective on Fairfax County’s leadership in next-generation technology. He shared the story of his grandfather, who farmed in the area when it was a leader in dairy production, underscoring the region’s long history of innovation.

“One hundred years ago, we were on the leading edge of dairy cow technology, and today we’re on the leading edge of space tech and satellite technology,” said Walkinshaw. “We connected the world to the internet, right here in Fairfax County, and now Hawkeye 360, through the technology that you are developing, is helping the United States of America observe the world from space. That’s incredible.”

The Congressman also pointed to the region’s highly skilled workforce and business environment as key ingredients in that continued growth.

Pictured above: HawkEye 360 Director of Systems Operations, Glenn Richardson, explains production and launch of HawkEye 360 satellites.

As demand for space-based intelligence and defense capabilities accelerates, Hawkeye 360’s continued expansion offers a glimpse of what the next chapter of the region’s space technology economy could look like. Its growth from a Fairfax County startup into a global space intelligence company demonstrates how the region’s concentration of talent, customers, technology and national security expertise can help emerging industries scale.

Pictured above: Dranesville District Supervisor Jimmy Bierman.

“What we’re trying to do in Fairfax County is create an environment that brings together mission-driven people, engineers, former federal employees and others with deep connections to the national security community,” said Supervisor Bierman. “HawkEye 360 is at the forefront of that effort, demonstrating how the region’s technical talent and national security expertise can drive innovation in the commercial space economy.”

HawkEye 360: From Northern Virginia to the Stars.

“In the last decade, there has not been a moment where I have been more optimistic as I observe great companies like HawkEye 360 grow like a rocket,” said Victor Hoskins, Outgoing President and CEO of the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority. “I am in awe of the brilliant team John Serafini, Founder and CEO of HawkEye 360, has assembled and the mission-focused work they are doing for our nation.”

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