Compare Companies
| Field | 🇮🇳 Pixxel | 🇺🇸 Planet LabsNYSE: PL | 🇺🇸 BlackSky TechnologyNYSE: BKSY | 🇺🇸 AST SpaceMobileNASDAQ: ASTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type | private | public | public | public |
| Country | 🇮🇳 India | 🇺🇸 United States | 🇺🇸 United States | 🇺🇸 United States |
| Founded | 2019 | 2010 | 2014 | 2017 |
| CEO | Awais Ahmed | Will Marshall | Brian O'Toole | Abel Avellan |
| Mkt Cap / Valuation | ~$210M (Series B post-money, pre-2026 extension) | ~$12.8B | ~$650M | ~$22B |
| Employees | ~169 | ~970 | ~290 | ~1,800+ |
| Sector | Hyperspectral Earth Observation | Earth Observation & Geospatial Analytics | Geospatial Intelligence | Direct-to-Cell Satellite Broadband |
| Last raise / Last filing | $24M (extension), bringing Series B to $60M total (2024-12-09) | 10-K filed | 10-K filed | 10-K filed |
| Top risks | Customer-acquisition pace — hyperspectral analytics is a new buying category, and the sales cycle for ag/mining/defense data contracts can run 12-24 months.; Constellation execution risk — SWIR sensors (Honeybee) are materially more complex than VNIR Firefly; on-orbit calibration and yield are unproven. | GAAP profitability: Planet achieved adjusted EBITDA profitability in FY2026 but remains GAAP net-loss negative; achieving GAAP positive is the key institutional re-rating threshold.; Defense contract concentration: NRO/NGA contracts drive growing revenue but expose Planet to U.S. government budget cycles, classification decisions, and competitive rebidding. | Government concentration: NRO and NGA together represent the largest single revenue concentration; FY2025 budget reductions cost ~$10M and similar political risk persists.; Constellation execution: Gen-3 deployment relies on rideshare launch availability; any launch failure or delay impairs imagery capacity. | Capital intensity: AST has incurred ~$1.6B in capitalized property and equipment to date; the Block 2 campaign requires continued massive spend; FY2025 net loss was $341.9M despite initial revenues.; Technology and deployment risk: large-aperture satellite manufacturing at scale is unproven; any delays to the 60-satellite Block 2 campaign would push back commercial coverage and revenue milestones. |
| Next catalyst | First Honeybee (HB-0) SWIR satellite launch (2026-Q1 / Q2) | Second-generation 30 cm Pelican satellites launch and first imagery delivery (2026-Q4) | EOCL contract recompete / multi-year renewal decision by NRO (2026-Q2) | Block 2 satellite deployment — target 45–60 operational satellites by end 2026 (2026-Q4) |
Maximum 4 companies. Pass slugs in the ids query parameter, comma-separated. Try SpaceX vs Blue Origin vs Rocket Lab vs Firefly.