Full-Time
Posted on 3/16/2025
Earth intelligence and space infrastructure solutions
$113k - $189kAnnually
Senior
Company Does Not Provide H1B Sponsorship
Palo Alto, CA, USA
Position may be performed remotely within the United States.
US Citizenship, US Top Secret Clearance Required
Maxar Technologies specializes in Earth intelligence and space infrastructure, providing essential solutions for both government and commercial clients. The company offers services that help clients monitor and understand the complexities of our planet, including global broadband communications and advanced capabilities for space exploration. Maxar's products work by utilizing decades of mission expertise and commercial technology to deliver reliable data quickly and cost-effectively. What sets Maxar apart from its competitors is its focus on delivering high-value solutions that enable precise decision-making and strategic planning. The company's goal is to generate revenue through contracts and partnerships while addressing the global demand for accurate Earth observation and space infrastructure.
Company Size
1,001-5,000
Company Stage
IPO
Headquarters
Richmond Hill, Canada
Founded
1957
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Health Insurance
Dental Insurance
Vision Insurance
401(k) Company Match
Paid Vacation
Unlimited Paid Time Off
Flexible Work Hours
Hybrid Work Options
Tuition Reimbursement
Family Planning Benefits
The Next Space StationIn the history of space exploration, space stations have been an important milestone, as they allowed space agencies to develop and test countless systems required for long-term presence in space. They also gave us insight into the effect of weightlessness on the human body and provided a safe structure from which to perform many scientific experiments.With the ISS expected to begin de-orbiting in a few years, it might seem that the more recent Chinese space station Tiangong, now opening for non-Chinese astronauts , most likely first to Russian astronauts, will be the largest inhabited structure in space for the foreseeable future.China plans to double the station from 3 to 6 modules in the coming years. This would bring its mass to 180 metric tons, or just 40% of the ISS's 450 tons.But this is incorrect, as a much more ambitious project than the ISS is being built: the Lunar Gateway.Lunar Gateway is a keystone of the Artemis program, a series of deep space missions looking to bring back Western astronauts to the Moon. You can read an overview of the Artemis missions and the rationale behind them in “ The Artemis Mission: Fly Me To The Moon (Again) ”.The Lunar Gateway will eventually become an anchor point for future Artemis Moon landings and associated missions. It will also be the first deep space station, orbiting another celestial body than Earth, being located as far as ~350,000 km from Earth (210,000 miles), while the ISS was orbiting just 400km above us (250 miles).Why Build The Lunar Gateway?Fitting In Artemis DesignThe Artemis missions aim for long-duration stays on the Moon lasting days and weeks, and eventually, a permanent settlement of the place.You can read a detailed account of the Artemis program in the dedicated report we published recently.This means that a lot of material, spare parts, resupply, personnel, and potential help needs to be located in the immediate vicinity of the lunar missions, not a minimum of several days away, even when assuming a rocket is ready to launch immediately. This is why the Artemis mission IV will be, in large part, dedicated to building the Lunar Gateway, a space station orbiting the Moon.The exact date of Artemis IV is unclear, as the program has suffered repeated delays
The Artemis ProgramThe last time mankind walked on the Moon was in December 1972, now more than 50 years ago. This fact has been a constant disappointment for space enthusiasts, especially considering the ambitious, bright future of space exploration that seemed to be waiting for us in the 1970s.But budget cuts, technological limitations, and the end of the Cold War have put a halt to manned space programs, with currently the farthest people traveling to space staying in Earth's orbit in the ISS, itself likely to be decommissioned soon.Luckily, a new wave of space exploration is coming, with the heating up of a new space race. This race is propelled by the progress made by companies like SpaceX, radically decreasing the cost of reaching orbit, as well as the ascendance of China as a world power, actively competing with the US and its allies for the establishment of lunar and maybe even Martian bases.It is in this context that NASA has designed the Artemis missions, named after the Greek goddess of the Moon, along with contributions by various space agencies.The program's long-term goal is to establish a permanent base on the Moon, to later further the possibility of off-world manufacturing and to facilitate human missions to Mars.The program has however a troubled history, with multiple delays in the past and likely more to come, and might be overhauled in some aspect before it ends, notably regarding its rocket launcher, the SLS.Still, with a Trump administration including Elon Musk, and an overall a goal to “make America great again”, it is clear that succeeding in this new space race will be as much a matter of national pride as a question of scientific and engineering progress.Not A Repeat Of ApolloLumped together in the Artemis Program is a series of separate missions building onto one another. This is done so that each key technology can be tested one at a time, maximizing the success chances and the safety of the astronauts, while also building the required infrastructures for long-duration stay on the Moon.This is very different from the spirit of the Apollo missions which were all designed for very short visits, the longest being 75 hours with Apollo 17 , mostly aiming at national prestige and collection of rock samples.The Artemis program is a massive international project, involving the USA, Canada, EU, UK, and many other countries as part of the Artemis Accords .The Artemis Accords focus on a peaceful and transparent exploration of the Moon, with principles of interoperability, emergency assistance, avoiding interference between programs, timely open release of scientific data, and the preservation of space heritage.Why Stay On The Moon?Besides the scientific interest of a stay on the Moon, allowing for a much deeper understanding of Earth's only natural satellite, there are many practical reasons for a semi-permanent or permanent human presence on the Moon.Testing What WorksThe first one is that this makes for a very good location to test permanent off-Earth settlements. Thanks to the close proximity to Earth, it is easier to send more cargo at a lower cost than on more distant planetary bodies like Mars.This short distance also puts any emergency resupply or rescue effort at only a 3-day flight, instead of months and years. So with a lot of yet unproven technologies and concepts to be deployed on the Artemis program, it makes sense to calculate the possibility of quick intervention in case something goes wrong.A Stepping Stone For MarsOnce a sustained stay is established on the Moon, more ambitious programs like the first human landing on Mars could be considered
That was something Maxar CEO Dan Smoot mentioned on the stage at GeoBuiz Summit 2025, and that message permeated the event.
Vaisala, a vertically integrated weather intelligence firm is acquiring the WeatherDesk business from Maxar for $70M.
Maxar partners with Satellogic to enhance monitoring for defense agencies.