iQPS vs Umbra: Earth observation compared

November 2026 edition · assessment by Frontier Tech Intelligence

iQPS ranks 47 on the Space 100 with a score of 75; Umbra ranks 63 with 70. iQPS is ahead on deployment, firepower and leverage. Umbra is ahead on commercials and technology. Level on production, progress and positioning. iQPS is based in Fukuoka, Japan, Umbra in Santa Barbara, United States. iQPS: Public. iQPS is named in 32 signals and Umbra in 23.

iQPS →

Fukuoka, Fukuoka, Japan · Space · Satellites & spacecraft / Earth observation · Public · i-qps.net

iQPS operates the QPS-SAR constellation of small radar satellites, providing day-and-night Earth observation imagery with little sensitivity to cloud cover.

Space 100 · rank 47 · score 75

Scores, Space (of 10)

Deployment9
Production6
Commercials4
Progress9
Technology6
Positioning8
Firepower8
Leverage8

Darker bar: ahead of the other company on that measure.

Positioning

iQPS is a Japanese SAR operator (TSE-listed) running the QPS-SAR constellation (8+ satellites under JSAT operations contracts, QPS-SAR-15 first-light images in January 2026), which raised a JPY 15.2B PIPE in March 2026 (SKY Perfect JSAT, Mitsui Sumitomo taking 18.23%) for mass production and launches. It is a member of the winning Japanese MoD Satellite Constellation Project consortium (December 2025), the sovereign-SAR national team, carrying the same MoD-dependency flag as Synspective. Revenue is estimated at 10-100m class.

Latest signals

  • MaiaSpace and iQPS signed a multi-launch agreement beginning in 2029.Payload
  • iQPS and MaiaSpace signed a basic agreement for QPS-SAR launches from 2029 onward.sorae
  • iQPS expanded its QPS-SAR constellation plan beyond 36 satellites.sorae

32 signals name iQPS.

Facts, with sources

  • 26SpaceNews
  • 24Via Satellite
  • MaiaSpace and iQPS signed a multi-launch agreement beginning in 2029Payload

39 facts on file.

Umbra →

Santa Barbara, California, United States · Space · Satellites & spacecraft / Earth observation · umbra.space

Umbra builds and operates radar-imaging satellites and sells high-resolution commercial SAR imagery for Earth observation customers.

Space 100 · rank 63 · score 70

Scores, Space (of 10)

Deployment6
Production6
Commercials6
Progress9
Technology8
Positioning8
Firepower6
Leverage6

Darker bar: ahead of the other company on that measure.

Positioning

Umbra is a US SAR operator with 12+ satellites launched (Umbra-12 in January 2026) at 16cm resolution, the highest commercially available, built at low single-digit-millions cost (the cheapest per performance in the field), plus a satellite-sales line building SAR sats for customers. It holds an NRO triple-anchor: an operational Radar Commercial Augmentation contract (August 2026, one of only three survivors of the five-company CRC evaluation), SCE Stage III, and an RF-products award. Revenue is estimated at 10-100m from NRO and commercial streams.

Latest signals

  • Umbra appoints Ashley Durmer as Chief Operating OfficerVia Satellite
  • NOAA awarded a commercial satellite data contract to 14 companies.SpaceNews
  • NRO is expanding commercial synthetic-aperture radar partnerships for space-based intelligence collection.Umbra

23 signals name Umbra.

Facts, with sources

  • NOAA awarded a commercial satellite data contract to 14 companiesSpaceNews
  • NRO is expanding commercial synthetic-aperture radar partnerships for space-based intelligence collectionUmbra
  • NRO expands commercial SAR partnerships for operational intelligence collectionUmbra

28 facts on file.

More comparisons

Questions this page answers

iQPS or Umbra: which is ahead in space?

iQPS ranks 47 on the Space 100 with a score of 75; Umbra ranks 63 with 70. iQPS is ahead on deployment, firepower and leverage. Umbra is ahead on commercials and technology. Level on production, progress and positioning. iQPS is based in Fukuoka, Japan, Umbra in Santa Barbara, United States. iQPS: Public. iQPS is named in 32 signals and Umbra in 23.

How do iQPS and Umbra compare?

iQPS ranks 47 on the Space 100 with a score of 75; Umbra ranks 63 with 70. iQPS is ahead on deployment, firepower and leverage. Umbra is ahead on commercials and technology. Level on production, progress and positioning. iQPS is based in Fukuoka, Japan, Umbra in Santa Barbara, United States. iQPS: Public. iQPS is named in 32 signals and Umbra in 23. Both company files carry the scores on eight measures, the facts with sources and the latest signals.

Every comparison here comes from the same files members use every day.

Members see every signal and fact behind both companies, the live ranking, the questions the signals answer and the week explained. $99 a month, 7-day trial. What Frontier Tech Intelligence is →

Subscribe · $99 a month