Berlin, Germany / San Francisco, USA — December 5, 2023 — Exolaunch USA, a global provider of rideshare launch mission management and deployment services and hardware for small satellites, has signed a launch contract with Capella Space, an American synthetic aperture radar (SAR) space tech pioneer with data and satellite solutions for government and commercial applications.
The award is for Capella Space’s Acadia-5 satellite, to be launched to a sun-synchronous orbit on SpaceX’s Transporter-11 mission. This collaboration marks the first launch contract between Exolaunch USA and Capella Space, showcasing Exolaunch's expanding capabilities in the US space sector. Exolaunch, through its multi-launch agreement with SpaceX, is set to oversee the launch planning, mission management, environmental testing and satellite integration with Falcon 9. Acadia-5 will further enhance Capella Space’s mission to deliver sub-daily, 24/7 and all-weather Earth observation data to serve customers across government, academia and commercial sectors with reliable information for better decision-making.
“We are excited to work with Exolaunch to continue to expand and upgrade our existing satellite constellation with next-generation SAR technology,” said Frank Backes, CEO of Capella Space. “Their services will help move forward Capella’s aggressive launch schedule to meet the growing demand for high-resolution, high-quality SAR imagery.
The SpaceX Transporter program remains a crucial platform for Exolaunch’s time-tested flight heritage. Over 250 satellites have now been integrated and successfully deployed by Exolaunch on the reliable and reusable Falcon 9 launch vehicles. The technical expertise of Exolaunch USA was necessary due to the significant leaps in Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) technology (enhanced resolution, increased power, improved payload downlink, and advanced inter-satellite communications), which Acadia will now demonstrate.
"We are thrilled that Capella Space has placed their trust in Exolaunch USA for their growing constellation of commercial SAR satellites supporting NASA, U.S. Space Systems Command, and more," said Kier Fortier, Managing Director at Exolaunch USA. "It's truly an honor to now aid the benchmarks Capella Space continues to set for rapid customer demand growth. Our teams will be looking forward to a successful launch with SpaceX!"
This collaboration between Exolaunch and Capella Space not only exemplifies Exolaunch's proficiency in satellite deployment but also underscores the ease of access to space facilitated by SpaceX. By leveraging Exolaunch's experience in conducting hassle-free launches, Capella Space can concentrate on its core competency of delivering state-of-the-art SAR imagery. This partnership is pivotal in aiding Capella's mission to provide ubiquitous data – a vision that promises to revolutionize our understanding of the Earth and enhance global decision-making processes.
About Exolaunch
Exolaunch (Germany, USA) is a global leader in launch mission integration and deployment technologies for the NewSpace industry. With a decade of flight heritage and over 350 satellites launched across 24 missions (as of November 2023), Exolaunch leverages industry insight to tailor turnkey solutions that meet customer needs and respond to market trends. Exolaunch fulfills launch contracts for NewSpace industry leaders, the world's most innovative start-ups, research institutions, government organizations and space agencies around the world. The company develops and manufactures its own flight-proven and industry-leading small satellite separation systems, with the fastest growing heritage on the market. Exolaunch is also developing Reliant, a line of environmentally friendly orbital transfer vehicles (OTVs), for last-mile satellite delivery, in-space logistics and space debris removal. Exolaunch is committed to making space accessible to all and to promoting its safe, sustainable, and responsible use.
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 the highest quality and resolution SAR imagery available today. 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 to sharpen our understanding of the changing world – improving decisions about commerce, conservation, and security on Earth. Headquartered in San Francisco, California with additional locations in Denver, Colorado and Washington, D.C., Capella’s satellites are operated, designed, and manufactured in the USA.
Source: Exolaunch
