Nine months after breaking ground on a space radar in Guanacaste, Costa Rica, the U.S.-based company LeoLabs has announced that the facilities are “fully operational.”

The radar, which LeoLabs says is the world’s most advanced commercial space radar for mapping low-Earth orbit (LEO), provides “unprecedented” capability to track objects as small as 2 cm.

“Only nine months after breaking ground in Costa Rica, it is gratifying to announce full operational status for the most advanced commercial space radar of its kind anywhere on the planet”, said Dan Ceperley, LeoLabs CEO. “The Costa Rica Space Radar is a critical addition to the global constellation of radars LeoLabs is building.”

LeoLabs offers its customers collision avoidance and early launch tracking services. The Costa Rica location is strategic as it provides better coverage of LEO near the equator and contributes to a real-time map of debris and satellites in space.

“LeoLabs’ investment in its Costa Rica Space Radar is a true example of the range of opportunities we have as a country in attracting state-of-the-art technology companies that promote a greater environment for innovation,” said Costa Rican President Carlos Alvarado.

Costa Rica from the ISS

This photo of Costa Rica, taken from the International Space Station, went viral here over the weekend. Check it out!

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