SatVu appoints senior Sales & US Operations Chiefs

SatVu has appointed Hanna Steplewska and Matthew Harrison to senior commercial roles following the launch and deployment of its HotSat-2 satellite.

Steplewska joins the UK thermal imaging satellite company as Vice President of Sales, while Harrison becomes Vice President of US Operations & Programs. The appointments come with HotSat-2 now in orbit and delivering data to customers in defence, economic intelligence and climate resilience.

Steplewska brings experience from Space Imaging, GeoEye and DigitalGlobe, as well as roles with launch providers and space vehicle component manufacturers. Most recently, she served as President, Chief Operating Officer and board member at Cognitive Space, a software company focused on constellation operations.

She has worked with commercial, government and defence customers across six continents and joins the leadership team as SatVu looks to expand its customer base for thermal data products.

Harrison will lead the company's work in the US government and defence markets, with a remit to turn existing engagement into operational programmes.

His previous roles included vice president and director-level positions at Skyline Software, Woolpert and Pixxel, spanning the intersection of national security and commercial space.

Growth phase

The hires come as SatVu advances its broader satellite network. HotSat-3 is due to join the constellation, with the company working towards a fleet of eight satellites.

The expansion follows a USD $30 million funding round being used to accelerate satellite deployment, expand data infrastructure and grow the company's commercial presence. SatVu is also preparing for a further investment phase as it scales both its satellite network and customer base.

SatVu focuses on thermal imaging from space, using heat signatures to track activity that may not be visible through optical or radar Earth observation systems. The data can be used to monitor infrastructure, assess economic activity and support national security work.

Its thermal data has applications across heavy industry and energy, including monitoring blast furnaces, kilns, flaring intensity and operational shutdowns. The systems can also support power generation verification, carbon capture tracking and the detection of environmental risks such as leaks and equipment failures.

Based in the UK, SatVu is expanding its commercial operations as it looks to turn satellite data into recurring demand from government and private sector customers. The addition of a US-focused senior executive points to North America as a priority market, particularly in defence and intelligence.

Chief Executive Officer Anthony Baker set out the company's priorities as the new satellite enters service.

"With HotSat-2 now operational, our focus is firmly on delivering our unique activity intelligence to customers all around the world. Hanna and Matt bring the experience we need to build meaningful relationships with customers who are looking for activity data to support decisions," Baker said.

Adding more satellites will increase how often SatVu can revisit sites and improve the timeliness of the information it supplies. That is important in markets where users need to monitor fast-changing industrial operations, critical infrastructure and areas of strategic interest.

The future constellation is intended to support repeated observation during both day and night. SatVu has said its thermal imagery reaches a resolution of 3.5 metres and is designed to give customers a clearer view of operational patterns on the ground.

Baker also linked the fleet expansion to the company's commercial build-out.

"Everything we are doing is about moving our customers closer to what is actually happening on the ground. With additional satellites, enhanced delivery capabilities and the right team in place, we are building a service that becomes essential to how organisations make critical decisions," he said.