The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) announced significant contract awards on May 21 at the GEOINT Symposium 2025. Ursa Space Systems received a $13.8 million Luno A task order to deliver unclassified commercial geospatial intelligence analytics focusing on petroleum-based production and storage facilities. NGA Director Vice Adm. Frank Whitworth stated that this monitoring will assist in providing government leaders with “a global and persistent perspective on some of these key economic flows.” NGA Commercial Operations Director Devin Brande added, “This is an ongoing project. We’re continuing to grow it.”
A separate $25 million contract was awarded to the University of Illinois, a member of the Taylor Geospatial Institute. This contract will fund high-performance computing to support “advanced AI and machine learning, logistics for data production on a global scale, and integrated tipping and cueing strategies,” according to Whitworth.
Palantir Technologies secured a $28 million contract to broaden access to its Maven Smart System for NGA analysts and enhance analytic modernization. Whitworth explained that the Maven Smart System is designed to accelerate the detection, identification, and characterization of features and objects within drone and satellite imagery. The system is an artificial-intelligence platform aimed at improving the speed and accuracy of military decision-making.
Correction: A previous version of this article incorrectly stated that all three contracts were awarded under the Luno A program. Only Ursa’s contract was part of Luno A.