Capella Space Reveals First Light Imagery from C-21 and C-22 “Catch Me If You Can” Mission

On October 20, 2026, at 7:04 a.m. ET, Capella Space successfully launched two new Acadia-class satellites, C-21 (Acadia-11) and C-22 (Acadia-12), aboard SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket as part of the Bandwagon-5 rideshare mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.

The successful deployment of both satellites into mid-inclination orbit marks another significant milestone for Capella's growing synthetic aperture radar (SAR) constellation. With commissioning complete, both spacecraft are now available for commercial operations, expanding our capacity to deliver high-resolution, all-weather SAR imagery to customers around the globe.

Mission Overview: “Catch Me If You Can”

The C-21 and C-22 mission, aptly named “Catch Me If You Can,” represents an exciting step forward in Capella's continued innovation in space-based radar technology.

Designed to fly in formation along the same orbital path, the twin satellites will support the development of advanced bistatic SAR and interferometric SAR (InSAR) capabilities. By coordinating observations between two spacecraft, these technologies have the potential to unlock new insights into Earth's surface and expand what's possible with radar-based Earth observation.

The mission's playful name comes to life in its custom mission patches, featuring two fish in an orbital chase. Each satellite has its own patch, with the two designs coming together to represent the formation-flight mission.

Following their successful deployment from Falcon 9, our satellite operations team established initial contact with both spacecraft and began commissioning activities. These achievements reflect the dedication and expertise of our engineering, manufacturing, and mission operations teams, who design, build, test, and operate our satellites in-house in our California and Colorado offices.

First light from C-21 and C-22

We're excited to share the first light SAR imagery captured by C-21 and C-22, showcasing the high-resolution imaging capabilities of our newest additions to the Capella constellation.

Equipped with advanced SAR technology, both satellites can capture detailed imagery day or night, through cloud cover and challenging weather conditions. This consistent visibility provides customers with reliable access to critical information, even when traditional optical imagery is limited.

These first light collections demonstrate the imaging performance of our Acadia-class satellites and reinforce Capella's commitment to delivering reliable, high-resolution, low-latency SAR data.

With both spacecraft now available for commercial operations, customers can benefit from expanded constellation capacity, flexible tasking, and dependable access to high-resolution SAR imagery for mission-critical applications.

Advancing SAR Capabilities

The successful launch and commissioning of C-21 and C-22 represent more than an expansion of our constellation. They also establish the foundation for more capabilities in coordinated satellite operations and advanced radar imaging.

Through the “Catch Me If You Can” mission, Capella is working toward enabling bistatic SAR and 3D InSAR observations that could provide new ways to characterize Earth's surface, detect changes, and support infrastructure and environmental monitoring.

As we continue to advance our satellite technology, automation, and SAR data processing capabilities, our focus remains on delivering reliable, actionable intelligence to our global customers.

What's Next?

With C-21 and C-22 now commercially operational, we're excited to put these new satellites to work and continue advancing the capabilities of our SAR constellation.

A huge thank you to our customers, partners, and the entire Capella and IonQ Space team for their continued support and dedication. From satellite design and manufacturing to launch, commissioning, and commercial operations, this achievement reflects the incredible work of the people behind our missions.

Stay connected as we continue pushing the boundaries of what's possible with space-based radar technology.

Ready to explore what's possible with Capella SAR?

Contact our team to learn how our expanding constellation and high-resolution SAR imagery can support your mission.