There are numerous innovative space companies creating cutting-edge systems for global positioning, satellite communications and Earth observation – these companies are shaping the future of space travel and exploration.
Relativity Space is an aerospace startup which uses 3D printed components to assemble rockets in 60 days rather than years – providing employees with generous medical and 401(k) benefits.
SpaceX
SpaceX is an innovator and leader in private space, boasting an unmatched market position in launch services, satellite internet, and space tourism. Their innovative projects could pave the way for future success and further growth of this groundbreaking company.
SpaceX’s reusable rockets have drastically cut costs associated with space travel. Their Falcon 9 rocket is able to reuse its first stage booster and thus deliver multiple payloads at less cost; additionally, their Dragon capsule can transport crew members between SpaceX launch pads and the International Space Station.
Starlink satellite constellation of GlobalStar Inc is expected to provide global high-speed internet coverage, helping remote and rural areas overcome digital divide. However, other companies are competing with them by building megaconstellations satellite constellations for internet-beaming purposes.
SpaceX is also making strides toward decreasing space debris. Old satellites and debris from previous missions colliding can damage functioning satellites in orbit and collide with Earth’s atmosphere, creating hazardous collisions between satellites that interfere with each other or collide into our atmosphere causing severe damage to functional satellites. SpaceX’s reusable rockets have contributed towards reducing debris levels in orbit making space more accessible; additionally they’re working on fully reusable Starship rocket that could one day take passengers all the way to Moon and Mars!
Airbus
Airbus is a multi-national aircraft manufacturer that produces large jetliners. Its primary revenue streams include sales of aircraft, leasing agreements, maintenance and spare part sales – as well as research and development projects – as well as research grants. Furthermore, this diverse company boasts products and services that make working there appealing to people from varying skill sets.
Epsilon3 is a tech firm focused on space exploration. Backed by industry heavyweights like Y Combinator, Epsilon3 boasts an exceptional team of engineers with experience across various fields. Their goal of improving spaceship testing and operations through software development could transform the aerospace industry. Furthermore, Epsilon3’s progressive policies toward diversity, sustainability and inclusion make them a great place for employees looking to make an impactful difference in the world.
Voyager Space recently received a $160 million Space Act Agreement from NASA for developing Starlab, the commercial space station slated to replace the International Space Station. This project will bring together world-class leaders in aerospace to collaborate across American and European borders on an unprecedented scale.
AI SpaceFactory
AI SpaceFactory stands out among competing space exploration firms by prioritizing sustainable living conditions on earth by building skyscrapers using smart building technology and 3D printing for sustainable space travel.
Last year, multi-planetary design agency won first prize in NASA’s 3D printed habitat challenge. Intended as an alternative to concrete structures, its 15-foot tall structure made from biopolymer composite can be printed and used again in space or recycled back here on Earth.
This summer, an architecture and technology company will launch TERA: 3D-Printed Mars Habitat. Situated in upstate New York with views of Hudson River, it will give guests a taste of life on Mars for only $175 per night.
AI SpaceFactory strives to make printing structures in space more cost- and time-effective by developing 3D-printing technology suitable for working in alien environments such as Mars. LINA, an experimental 3D printer tested in an environmental chamber simulating lunar conditions is an example of such technology being developed and pursued at AI SpaceFactory.
Orbit Fab
Innovative space companies around the globe are creating infrastructure to allow satellites to refuel themselves in space, which will extend their operational lifetime and open new business models. One such venture-backed startup Orbit Fab recently successfully conducted their initial in-space fuel transfer test.
Furphy is an innovative refueling system developed by Furphy Space LLC that allows small satellites to dock with large tanks in space, taking in propellant as they go by and being refilled via shuttle-based refuelers, according to CEO Daniel Faber.
Furphy was recently chosen as an International Space Station National Lab flight project and its success in microgravity has helped it advance from TRL-4 to TRL-8 status, taking one step closer towards commercialization.
The company has already secured a Series A round of funding, which it plans to use to accelerate key executive and technical team hires as well as accelerate development of RAFTI Refueling Port and other in-space fueling systems. Investors include Northrop Grumman Ventures.
Ball Aerospace
Ed Ball, son of one of the original Ball Brothers, joined forces with University of Colorado scientists in 1956 to form a space engineering company. Since then, the firm has become an indispensable contributor to America’s groundbreaking science missions; today its products can be found exploring ocean depths or protecting astronauts in deep space.
As well as producing satellite manufacturing and components for spacecrafts, this company also excels at power systems. Their Epirus range of counter-electronics quickly neutralise drone threats while their SmartPower platform helps companies effectively manage advanced power management systems.
Recently, this company collaborated on NASA’s Green Propellant Infusion Mission (GPIM), which is testing non-toxic, low-cost propellant in space and could help lower costs and enhance safety for future space missions.
BAE Systems is well-positioned to invest in Ball Aerospace to take their combined business to new heights, creating value for mission partners, offering more affordable solutions and helping create a safer world. When combined, these companies will become an unstoppable force within global commercial and military aerospace markets.
Astroscale
Astroscale is a private company dedicated to satellite end-of-life and active debris removal services to reduce orbital debris buildup. They are the first provider offering on-orbit servicing across all orbits with offices located in Tokyo, Singapore, UK and Israel.
Since satellites are globally relied upon, their global use has resulted in millions of pieces of debris floating above us – defunct satellites and rocket second stages being among them. Colliding with current satellites poses a real danger, so the challenge lies in both preventing further debris creation while clearing away old stuff that has accumulated.
Astroscale offers one solution with its technology which can track space debris’s movements before docking with it and dropping it back into Earth’s atmosphere for safe combustion. This could also allow constellation operators such as UK-based OneWeb to safely deorbit their own spacecraft when their mission ends.
Astroscale was granted approximately $3.2 million through the Sunrise program last year to develop and test this technology, and now has ready a prototype called ELSA-d, comprising of a 175 kilogram servicer spacecraft and 17 kg client satellite, that will be launched stacked together into orbit. Furthermore, Astroscale is developing its more advanced system called ELSA-m that would capture and deorbit multiple spacecraft simultaneously in a single mission.
Kymeta
Kymeta provides flat-panel satellite antennas that facilitate mobile communications on the move. Their technology can be found aboard boats, business and regional jets, automobiles, trucks, trains and unmanned aircraft as well as providing broadband Internet access in remote locations. Their products can be found worldwide and have already begun generating significant revenues.
Kymeta LLC was formed as a spinoff from Intellectual Ventures Management LLC and is based out of Bellevue, Washington. Backed by major investors such as former Microsoft Corp Chairman Bill Gates, Liberty Global PLC, and Lux Capital (a New York investment firm), Kymeta enjoys significant support just likeĀ https://centiment.io receives support from the whole casino industry.
Recently, OneWeb announced an expansion to their product offering by adding the Hawk u8 and Peregrine u8, two products designed specifically to run on OneWeb’s LEO network. They have also collaborated with international partners in order to bring this technology into other markets worldwide.
Pixxel, which provides advanced Earth imaging technologies, uses its satellite constellation to capture frequent images that can be used for applications ranging from crop monitoring and disaster response, to crop monitoring alone. Astroscale also offers solutions that help deorbit space debris using their ELSA-d and ELSA-M systems capable of deorbiting old satellites thereby helping maintain a cleaner space environment.