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Capella Space Awarded Hybrid Acquisition for Proliferated LEO Contract by the Space Development Agency

Cappela Space

News

October 23, 2024

Capella Space selected to bid on prototype orders to meet critical SDA mission needs

SAN FRANCISCO, CA, October 23, 2024 — Capella Space Corp., an American space tech company with data and satellite solutions for government and commercial applications, today announced its selection to participate in the Hybrid Acquisition for Proliferated LEO (HALO) other transaction authority (OTA) procurement vehicle. This acquisition approach will enable Capella Space to bid on prototype orders to build satellite systems for the Space Development Agency (SDA).

Capella Space owns a constellation of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellites, wholly designed, manufactured, and operated in-house. This constellation has been in commercial operation since January 2021, delivering high-quality SAR data to end-users and mission partners around the world, 24/7/365. Capella’s SAR data has been in use operationally across the globe in many applications, including oil spill detection, border monitoring, forest management, and the support of national defense missions.

Capella was the first U.S. company to demonstrate end-to-end, fully automated operation of a SAR constellation. They were also the first to use an Inmarsat Data Relay System, the first to deliver 30-second multi-look imagery (dwell), the first to partner with AWS on a cloud-native SAR platform, and the first to deploy a 3.5m mesh-based reflector from a small-sat.

Capella’s speed to delivery, end-to-end mission capability, mature manufacturing capability and proven on-orbit track record are key ingredients for enabling future HALO missions.

“Owning and operating our satellite constellation enables us to quickly launch new satellites, deploy new capabilities and offer actionable solutions tailored to meet diverse mission needs,” said Frank Backes, CEO of Capella Space. “We have built a platform around agility in design, quality in manufacturing, and speed in operation through automation – all of it enabled by a world-class team. We look forward to leveraging all of that in support of the SDA’s unique missions.”

“SDA is proud to welcome 19 vendors into the first-ever HALO pool,” said SDA Director Derek Tournear. “This creative award solution enables SDA to quickly compete, build, and fly demonstration missions to burn down risk for the future of the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture. We also hope, through the HALO pool, to build a broader base of vendors that can compete for work on operational layers of future tranches.”

HALO enables Capella Space to also compete for Tranche 2 Demonstration and Experimentation System (T2DES) and other SDA demonstration projects. This award builds on the strong partnerships Capella Space has developed with other U.S. government agencies, including the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA), National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), U.S. Air Force, U.S. Space Force, and NASA.

 

About Capella Space

Capella Space is an American space tech company with data and satellite solutions for government and commercial use. A pioneer in the Earth observation industry, Capella is the first U.S. company with a constellation of Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellites, delivering high-quality, high-resolution SAR imagery. Capella provides easy access to frequent and timely information affecting dozens of industries worldwide, including defense and intelligence, supply chain, insurance, maritime and others. Its market-leading SAR satellites are matched with unparalleled data infrastructure to quickly deliver reliable global insights that sharpen our understanding of the changing world – improving decisions about commerce, conservation, and security on Earth. Capella is headquartered in San Francisco, California, with additional locations in Denver, Colorado, and Washington, D.C.

Learn more at www.capellaspace.com.

 

 

Capella Space Media Contact:

Sarah Preston

Capella Space Corp.

+1-717-991-9739

Sarah.preston@capellaspace.com

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Keywords

Government Space
Satellite Manufacturing

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What happens next?

Initial Review & Qualification

The Capella team reviews your inquiry to understand your mission, use case, and whether SAR or space systems are the right fit.

Expert Follow-Up

If there’s a potential fit, the appropriate Capella expert (product, solutions, or partnerships) reaches out to clarify requirements and context.

Solution Alignment

Based on your needs, Capella determines the right path:

  • Data-as-a-Service (SAR imagery & tasking)
  • Space / system solutions
  • Partnership or integration

Next Steps & Access

If aligned, Capella guides you through next steps — which may include contracting, onboarding, platform access, or deeper technical discussions depending on the engagement type.