Join us for a look back at a jam-packed 2025 on Earth and in space.
As we do every year, Vantor has chronicled the events and global issues that shaped 2025. But this time around, it's different. In October, we rebranded from Maxar Intelligence, ushering in a new era of spatial intelligence as demand surged across defense, intelligence, and commercial sectors.
Meeting this demand required new levels of speed and clarity. We introduced AI-powered 3D analysis and software platforms that transformed how we collect and analyze satellite imagery—helping us dig deeper to find the needle in the haystack.
These innovations brought the defining moments of 2025 to life with unprecedented detail, not only for our customers but for media partners and audiences worldwide through the Vantor News Bureau program.
December 2025
U.S. Seizure of Venezuelan Oil Tanker: The seized Venezuelan crude oil tanker (known as the Skipper) is shown in Vantor™ 2D imagery as it travels in a southwesterly direction, positioned approximately 33 kilometers north of Guadeloupe in the southern Caribbean Sea. The image was made possible by Maritime Sentry, Vantor’s AI-powered system that fuses multi-sensor data and advanced analytics to detect, track, and identify vessels across vast maritime regions.
SpaceX Starlink Anomaly: Vantor partnered with SpaceX to use its WorldView™ Space capability to image a Starlink satellite that experienced an anomaly on Wednesday, December 17. The non-Earth image was collected on December 18 over the coast of Alaska, U.S. WorldView-3 collected the 12 cm resolution image from 241 km away, and it provides visual intelligence that the majority of the Starlink is intact.
China's Yulin Naval Base: The Yulin Naval Base, located at the northern edge of the South China Sea, is known to be one of China's most strategically important military bases. In this image, you can see the Fujian aircraft carrier docked at port, with a patrol boat passing by. Vantor generated high-resolution 3D terrain from a single satellite pass, processing it into this finished image within 10 hours. All delivered in 50 cm resolution and at sub-4 m spatial accuracy, and powered by our Forge™ software.
November 2025
Aid for Gaza: As the conflict with Gaza extended into its third year, the Kerem Shalom border crossing point remained the primary route for humanitarian aid to be delivered to Palestinians in Gaza.
October 2025
Hurricane Melissa in Jamaica: An October 29 image reveals extensive damage to the western sections of Jamaica in the aftermath of Category 5 Hurricane Melissa. Along the southwest coast of Jamaica where the hurricane made landfall, hundreds of homes and buildings in the towns of Black River and New Hope were destroyed or suffered extreme damage.
NISAR SAR Satellite: An image of the NISAR synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite, developed jointly between NASA and the Indian Space Research Organization, is seen with centimeter-level clarity after it deployed its giant circular radar antenna reflector. Our WorldView™ Space non-Earth imaging capability is built for exactly this kind of mission. With this image, we also collected spacecraft orientation, velocity data, and deployment confirmation that telemetry alone can't verify.
September 2025
Super Typhoon Ragasa Hits Taiwan: Super Typhoon Ragasa was among the most powerful storms to strike Asia in recent years. Vantor imagery shows significant flooding, mud-covered streets, and other damage across the Taiwanese city of Guangfu. Nearby, the Matai’an Creek Bridge was destroyed and washed away from the flooding.
August 2025
Wildfires in Greece: This Vantor satellite image spotlights wildfires in Greece. Extreme temperatures affected much of the region in August, fueling wildfires that spread throughout the area. Unlike systems limited by narrow imaging swaths and localized point collections, Vantor’s satellite constellation can monitor entire areas of interest—tracking fire progression across vast regions in a single image strip.
July 2025
Flashfloods in Texas: The devastating flood along the Guadalupe River in Texas swept through the area near Hunt and Kerrville, Texas. Hundreds of trucks, trailers, and other vehicles are seen parked along the riverbank--likely associated with the continuing effort of first responders and volunteers conducting search and recovery operations in the area.
June 2025
Satellite Image of ShiJian-26 in Space: Vantor satellites captured the clearest non-Earth image (NEI) they have ever collected to date. This image shows the ShiJian-26, a Chinese optical remote sensing satellite. At an SSD at 1.9 cm, this type of resolution is revolutionary for space situational awareness. The SJ 26 represents China's latest generation of optical reconnaissance satellites, and our ability to image it this clearly demonstrates a new era in satellite-to-satellite observation.
3D View of Airstrike Damage, Iran: U.S. bombing of the Fordow nuclear site in Iran heavily damaged the facility in June 2025. Vantor’s rapid 3D terrain data reveals ongoing activity at the fuel enrichment complex. This image shows damage to ventilation shafts, including holes caused by airstrikes.
May 2025
Failed NK Destroyer Launch in North Korea: The aftermath of an accident that damaged a new destroyer during a launching ceremony of the warship at the Hambuk Shipyard in the North Korean port of Chongjin is seen in Vantor 2D imagery. The ship’s remains, lying on its side near the dock and covered with blue tarps, are shown, as efforts to move the vessel continued.
April 2025
Masters Tournament, Georgia: Providing a view of the 89th edition of the Masters Tournament in Augusta, GA in April at the famous Augusta National Golf Club, the Vantor satellite image in 2D reflects the clarity of the course and grounds.
March 2025
Myanmar Earthquake: The satellite image of Mandalay, Myanmar reveals the extensive damage caused by the 7.7 magnitude earthquake which struck the region. Multiple monasteries, temples, pagodas and buildings throughout Mandalay and Sagaing can be seen with severe structural damage.
February 2025
WorldView Legion® Launch, Florida: The Feb. 4, 2025 launch of Vantor’s fifth and sixth WorldView Legion satellites took place at the Kennedy Space Center on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. The new satellites enable high-resolution, 30 cm-class imagery and frequent revisits for critical applications like disaster response and maritime surveillance, and they enhance Vantor’s constellation.
January 2025
Palisades Fire, California: The Palisades wildfire in California burn in the mountains to the northwest of the Pacific Palisades and to the north of Malibu as seen in this 3D terrain image. Fires are seen burning in and near structures close to Topanga and Monte Nido.