Staying ahead of the technology curve means strengthening your competitive advantage. That is why we give you data-driven innovation insights into the SpaceTech industry. This time, you get to discover 5 hand-picked startups developing in-orbit services.
Out of 130, the Global Startup Heat Map highlights 5 Top SpaceTech Startups developing In-Orbit Services
The insights of this data-driven analysis are derived from the Big Data & Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered StartUs Insights Discovery Platform, covering 2 093 000+ startups & scaleups globally. The platform gives you an exhaustive overview of emerging technologies & relevant startups within a specific field in just a few clicks.
The Global Startup Heat Map below reveals the distribution of the 130 exemplary startups & scaleups we analyzed for this research. Further, it highlights 5 SpaceTech startups that we hand-picked based on criteria such as founding year, location, funding raised, and more. You get to explore the solutions of these 5 startups & scaleups in this report. For insights on the other 125 in-orbit services, get in touch.
LMO Space advances In-situ Space Situational Awareness (SSA)
Founding Year: 2018
Location: Didcot, UK
Partner for: Collision Avoidance, Asteroid Tracking
British startup LMO Space provides SSA as well as space surveillance and tracking (SST). The startup’s solutions use embedded AI that enables satellites to detect nearby objects and avoid collisions. To achieve this, LMO Space combines data from image processing with long-wavelength infrared (LWIR), light detection and ranging (LIDAR), and optical sensor readings. The startup’s solutions also find use in earth observation, asteroid tracking, and planetary object identification.
Infinite Orbits provides Satellite Life Extension
Founding Year: 2017
Location: Toulouse, France
Partner for: Geostationary Orbits (GEO) Satellite Servicing & Inspection
French startup Infinite Orbits provides life and mission extension services for satellites positioned in the geostationary orbits. It utilizes a dedicated satellite servicer with optical sensors for target agnostic guidance, navigation and control (GNC), and docking systems. These systems enable the startup to upgrade existing GEO satellites with new technological advances and extend life up to 5 years, saving capital expenditure for GEO telecom satellite operators. In addition, the startup provides SSA, autonomous collision avoidance, inspection, and relocation to better-suited and graveyard orbits upon decommissioning.
Space Machines Company enables In-space Assembly
Founding Year: 2018
Location: Adelaide, Australia
Partner for: Exploration as a Service, Cargo Transport
Space Machines Company is an Australian startup that offers in-orbit assembly of big space structures. The startup’s space mobility platform, Optimus, uses reusable-modular architecture and onboard propulsion technologies. It transports cargo and parts of space structures in the required low earth orbits (LEO) or deep space with its reusable orbital transfer vehicle (OTV). These parts are then assembled in space to build infrastructures or complex equipment. With this, the startup supports a range of in-orbit services ranging from refueling and lifetime extensions to satellite repairs.
Scout Aerospace offers Custom Orbit Delivery
Founding Year: 2017
Location: Atlanta, US
Partner for: Orbital Transfer Vehicles
US-based startup Scout Aerospace constructs orbital transfer vehicles for positioning payloads in orbit as well as servicing existing orbital assets. The startup’s OTVs deploy payloads in the owners’ choice of orbits. Its AstroLabe platform provides power, data transmission, and tracking capabilities for all the payloads sharing this worksite like a large satellite. It also makes repairing or upgrading specific payload easier. This payload as a package service allows payload owners to save the cost of building satellites.
Orbital Express makes Space Tugs
Founding Year: 2020
Location: Moscow, Russia
Partner for: Space Transportation
Russian startup Orbital Express builds space tugs for small satellite orbital positioning, servicing, and interplanetary missions. The startup’s solution, Satko, moves CubeSats and SmallSats for planetary and asteroid orbital insertion, altitude change, and payload cargo delivery to other spacecraft. It delivers payloads up to 100 kg in lunar orbit and 30 kg in both Venus and Mars orbit. It is also a carrier platform for permanent payload placement in orbit, thereby serving as an independent spacecraft itself. For larger satellites, Satko functions as a propulsion system by stacking with them and provides services such as orbit phasing, deorbiting, and life extension.
Discover more SpaceTech Startups
SpaceTech startups such as the examples highlighted in this report focus on satellite lifetime extension and maintenance, deep space exploration as a service, as well as space cargo transportation. While all of these technologies play a major role in advancing the space industry, they only represent the tip of the iceberg. To explore more space technologies, simply get in touch to let us look into your areas of interest. For a more general overview, you can download our free SpaceTech Innovation Report to save your time and improve strategic decision-making.
