Maxar Technologies

If you’ve ever used a satellite map, marveled at high-resolution images of world events, or tracked a natural disaster from space, you've likely encountered the work of Maxar Technologies. The company provides a comprehensive suite of space technology, from building satellites to delivering the geospatial intelligence they gather. Maxar's story isn't one of a single startup, but a consolidation of major players in the space and satellite industries. The modern company was officially formed on October 5, 2017, when the Canadian firm MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates (MDA) acquired the American satellite imagery leader, DigitalGlobe. This merger brought together MDA's expertise in satellite manufacturing and robotics with DigitalGlobe's world-leading constellation of Earth-observation satellites. The roots of its components run deep. MDA was founded in 1969 by John S. MacDonald and Vern Dettwiler in a Vancouver basement. DigitalGlobe was established as WorldView Imaging in 1992 by Walter Scott and Doug Gerull, anticipating a new law that allowed private companies into the satellite imaging business. Both companies grew through their own series of strategic acquisitions. MDA purchased Space Systems/Loral (SSL) in 2012, a major satellite manufacturer. DigitalGlobe merged with its main competitor, GeoEye, in 2013, creating the largest commercial imagery satellite company at the time. Following the 2017 merger that created Maxar, the company operated as a collection of four distinct brands: SSL, MDA, DigitalGlobe, and Radiant Solutions. However, the journey continued. In 2020, Maxar sold the original MDA business to a Canadian private equity firm. The next major chapter began in May 2023, when private equity firm Advent International acquired Maxar for $6.4 billion, taking the company private. By October 2025, Advent had split Maxar into two separate entities to give each a clearer market focus: the intelligence and Earth observation business was rebranded as Vantor, and the satellite manufacturing division became Lanteris Space Systems. This move marked the end of the Maxar name but continued the legacy of its powerful predecessors under new banners.