Beyond Earth Orbit Communication Database
This is the second installment of our SpaceFund Reality (SFR) rating. The focus of this SFR is a sub-sector of the Communication sector, specifically Beyond Earth Orbit communications. In this category, the other sub-sector being tracked by SpaceFund is Terrestrial/Earth Orbit communications (e.g., ‘bent pipe’ Earth to Earth communications, including traditional communications satellites, internet providers, and ground-based receivers). While the Terrestrial/Earth Orbit sub-sector is vastly larger and more mature than the Beyond Earth Orbit category, since SpaceFund is dedicated to supporting frontier-enabling companies, we decided to analyze the Beyond Earth Orbit sub-sector first. It is also important to note that a number of companies in the Beyond Earth Orbit category may also fall into the Terrestrial/Earth Orbit category, as there are many business models and products that cross over between the two sub-sectors. However, in this database, we’ve focused exclusively on those companies who are targeting deep space communications as part of their long-term business plan.
The Beyond Earth Orbit Communications SpaceFund Reality rating (SFR) is a detailed database of more than 50 companies from all over the world that are either actively creating, or planning to create, technology and services to enable communications beyond Earth orbit. While there are many other companies who are creating products and service that may eventually become part of deep-space communications networks, those listed below have publicly proclaimed their intention to do so. Each company has been assigned an SFR rating based on our analysis, publicly available data, and expert insights.
If you haven’t already, please consult our SpaceFund Reality (SFR) ratings page to learn more about the rating, its purpose, and the underlying formula, as well as to view a complete list of the SpaceFund sectors of interest.
How to Use This Table
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Important Note (Alpha Sort Columns vs Numeric Sort Columns): In the Data Rate column, any figure listed as a “0” is simply a placeholder for unavailable data. This is due to the nature of this table format, and to ensure that the columns sort properly, a numeric character must be included in each cell. So, for example, if a company is listed to have a data rate of “0” this simply means that this information is not publicly available and the “0” acts as a replacement for “N/A”.
The Funding and Price columns are set to sort alphabetically. Since these columns contains alphabetic characters in some cells, they will sort alphabetically, not numerically and so the “-” character has been used to represent unavailable data. All other columns in the table will also sort alphabetically.
Important Note (Companies not Products): This database, and the SpaceFund Reality ratings, are based on COMPANIES, not specific products or technologies.
How to Provide Updated Data
Have we missed your company? Do you feel that your company should have a different rating? Is the listed data inaccurate or outdated? Do you see missing data for your company? The best way to update your information in this database is to reach out to us directly to provide additional information about your technology, management team, funding history, and company progress. We are also eager to learn about any additional data sources that can help us in our ongoing research, so please feel free to share any resources you know of with our team.
Updates will be published as new information becomes available.
SpaceFund Reality (SFR) Rating
Beyond Earth Orbit Communications Database
Last Update: April 19, 2021
| wdt_ID | Company | SFR | Type | Frequency Bands | Funding ($M) | Data Rate (Mbps) | Price | Country | HQ Location | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 236 | AAC Clyde Space | 9 | Space to Space | S-, X-, VHF, UHF | Public | 100 | - | Sweden | Uppsala | Off-the-shelf platforms, individual subsystems, and ground segment solutions, for satellite missions |
| 237 | Aerospace Corp | 9 | Relay | Optical | - | 100 | - | USA | El Segundo, CA | Testing the AeroCube laser communication system to demonstrate high-speed optical transmission of data |
| 238 | Amazon (AWS Ground Station) | 9 | Space to Ground | S-, X-, UHF | Joint Venture | 0 | - | USA | Seattle, WA | AWS Ground Station enables you to control and ingest data from orbiting satellites without having to buy or build satellite ground station infrastructure |
| 239 | Atlas Space Operations | 9 | Space to Ground | S-, X-, UHF, VHF | 13 | 1,000 | - | USA | Traverse City, MI | Introducing the first commercially available deep space communications network |
| 240 | GomSpace | 9 | Space to Space | S-, UHF, VHF | Public | 0 | - | Denmark | Aalborg | Wide range of radio communication solutions for nanosatellites |
| 241 | Honeywell | 9 | Space to Space | X- | Public | 600 | - | USA | Phoenix, AZ | Creates products for space markets such as navigation and communications systems |
| 242 | Innovative Solutions in Space | 9 | Space to Space | S-, UHF, VHF | - | 3 | $9,760 | Netherlands | Delft | Communication systems for cubesat missions |
| 243 | KinetX Aerospace | 9 | Space to Space | X- | - | 0 | - | USA | Tempe, AZ | Deep space communications development |
| 244 | LGS Innovations | 9 | Space to Space | Optical | 60 | 0 | - | USA | Herndon, VA | Designing and building laser amplification and targeting solutions for free-space optical communications |
| 245 | Maxar Technologies | 9 | Space to Space | C-, Ka-, Ku-, L-, S-, V-, UHF | Public | 0 | - | USA | Westminster, CO | MDA (a Maxar company) is a global leader in the design, fabrication, and testing of innovative antenna & RF products |
| 246 | NanoAvionics | 9 | Space to Space | S-, UHF | 0.69 | 1 | Lithuania | Vilnius | Flight proven communication subsystems | |
| 247 | Northrop Grumman | 9 | Space to Ground | Ka- | Public | 9,000 | - | USA | Dulles, VA | Leader in the development and manufacture of multi-gigabit-per-second Kt and Ka band communication links |
| 248 | Oxford Space Systems | 9 | Space to Space | Ka- | 13.12 | 0 | - | United Kingdom | Harwell, England | Oxford Space Systems is developing innovative deployable antennas and structures that meet the challenges of the new space age |
| 249 | Pumpkin Space Systems | 9 | Space to Space | - | - | 0 | $7,900 | USA | San Francisco, CA | Providing nanosatellite components and complete CubeSats to government, commercial and educational organizations |
| 250 | RBC Signals | 9 | Space to Ground | C-, Ka-, Ku-, S-, X-, UHF, VHF | 1.95 | 0 | - | USA | Redmond, WA | RBC provides real-time access to satellites via their global ground station network. |
| 251 | Space Applications Services | 9 | Space to Ground | - | - | 0 | - | Belgium | Zaventem | Researching and developing innovative systems, solutions and products, and providing services for space exploration |
| 252 | Space Micro | 9 | Space to Space | Ka-, S-, X-, Optical | - | 100,000 | - | USA | San Diego, CA | Innovative, affordable and high performance digital, RF, and attitude determination products |
| 253 | Surrey Satellite Technology | 9 | Space to Space | X- | - | 0 | - | United Kingdom | Guildford, England | Pioneers of the use of new technologies on satellite products and services |
| 254 | Syrlinks | 9 | Space to Space | K, Ka-, L-, S-, X- | - | 600 | - | France | Cesson-Sévigné | Specialized in the development of radiocommunication and radio frequency products for space activity |
| 255 | Thales Alenia Space | 9 | Space to Space | - | Joint Venture | 0 | - | France | Cannes | Design, operate and deliver satellite-based systems that help customers position and connect anyone or anything |
| 256 | Akash Systems | 8 | Space to Space | K- | 17.6 | 14,000 | - | USA | San Francisco, CA | Creating small, cost effective, powerful satellites able to provide terabit data-rates and exciting new applications for Earth, Deep Space, or even human Space colonies |
| 257 | Antwerp Space | 8 | Space to Space | Ka-, X- | - | 300 | - | Belgium | Antwerp | European leader in the field of RF systems and satellite communications |
| 258 | Astro Digital | 8 | Space to Space | Ka-, S-, V-, X-, UHF, Optical | 23.17 | 320 | - | USA | Santa Clara, CA | On-board systems for cube sat communications |
| 259 | Endurosat | 8 | Space to Space | S-, X-, UHF | 1.07 | 50 | $23,545 | Bulgaria | Sofia | Designs, builds and space-qualifies the new type of CubeSats for a range of missions from low Earth orbit to Solar System exploration |
| 260 | EOS | 8 | Space to Ground | Optical | Public | 0 | - | Australia | Hume, ACT | Developing space optical communication systems |
| 261 | Goonhilly Earth Station | 8 | Space to Ground | C-, Ka-, Ku-, S-, X- | 38.68 | 0 | - | United Kingdom | Helston, England | Goonhilly is developing the capability to support the exploration of Lunar and Deep Space for institutions and private enterprise |
| 262 | Microsoft (Azure Space) | 8 | SPace to Ground | 0 | USA | Redmond, WA | Incorporating Azure as the platform and ecosystem of choice for the mission needs of the space community | |||
| 263 | SpaceQuest | 8 | Space to Space | L-, S-, UHF, VHF | - | 0 | - | USA | Fairfax, VA | Specializing in the design, development, testing and manufacture of space and ground components |
| 264 | Tethers Unlimited | 8 | Space to Space | K-, S-, X-, UHF | - | 100 | - | USA | Bothell, WA | Software-defined radios providing high-performance communications for CubeSats and other small spacecraft |
| 265 | Arralis | 7 | Space to Space | Ka- | - | 0 | - | Ireland | Limerick | Developing a new electronically steerable antenna for spacecraft |
| 266 | Astrapi Corporation | 7 | Space to Space | - | 2.8 | 0 | - | USA | Dallas, TX | Astrapi is the leader in a revolutionary method of communication – spiral-based modulation |
| 267 | Leaf Space | 7 | Space to Ground | S-, X-, UHF, VHF | 8.1 | 300 | - | Italy | Lomazzo, Como | Leaf Space provides ground segment as a service, tailored to your needs |
| 268 | Mynaric | 7 | Relay | Optical | Public | 10,000 | Germany | Gilching | Developing and manufacturing laser products allowing for high data rate and long-distance wireless data transmission between moving objects space applications | |
| 269 | Nokia | 7 | Space to Space | UHF | Public | 0 | - | Finland | Espoo | Deploying a 4G wireless network on the Moon |
| 270 | Analytical Space | 6 | Relay | S-, X-, Optical | 4 | 0 | - | USA | Cambridge, MA | Analytical Space's dream is to one day be the data railroad for the solar system and beyond |
| 271 | Callisto | 6 | Space to Space | Ka-, S-, X- | - | 0 | - | France | Villefranche-de-Lauragais | Callisto designs and manufactures high performance LNAs with associated hardware and software |
| 272 | CELIS | 6 | Space to Ground | C-, L-, K-, Ka-, S-, X- | - | 0 | - | Spain | Madrid | CELIS is a Spanish company specialized in Ground Segment Systems, Solutions, and Services |
| 273 | Infostellar | 6 | Space to Ground | - | 7.85 | 0 | $2.7/min | Japan | Tokyo | Deep space internet for a spacefaring humankind; quick, flexible ground station aggregator for newspace satellite services |
| 274 | Intuitive Machines | 6 | Space to Space | - | 6 | - | USA | Houston, TX | Providing data communications and power services to assets both in lunar orbit and on the surface of the Moon | |
| 275 | mBryonics | 6 | Space to Ground | Optical | - | 10,000 | - | Ireland | Galway | Developing end-to-end system architecture for a complete satellite optical communications network |
| 276 | Orbit:Linx (by Spacebit) | 6 | Space to Ground | - | Joint Venture | 0 | - | United Kingdom | London, England | Creating a more efficient model for access to low-Earth and deep space communication networks using the blockchain |
| 277 | PointView Tech (Facebook) | 6 | Relay | Optical | Public | 0 | USA | Los Angeles, CA | Researching laser communications for potential space mission applications | |
| 278 | Xenesis | 6 | Space to Ground | Optical | - | 10,000 | - | USA | Lisle, IL | Xenesis Hub is the first low-cost laser communications space transceiver |
| 279 | CesiumAstro | 5 | Space to Space | Ka-, Ku- | 22.65 | 0 | - | USA | Austin, TX | Designing out-of-the-box communication systems for satellites, launch vehicles, and other space platforms |
| 280 | Empower Space | 5 | Relay | Laser | Joint Venture | 100,000 | - | USA | Mountain View, CA | Providing a turnkey direct-optical data distribution service for cislunar and deep space applications |
| 281 | Helical Communication | 5 | Space to Space | UHF | - | 0 | $475 | USA | Rockledge, FL | Specialized antennas for use with ground-based and space-based communication with satellites placed in low earth orbit and deep space |
| 282 | Hypergiant | 5 | Space to Space | - | - | 0 | - | USA | Austin, TX | Developing an interplanetary internet (IPN) for the solar system and an open data protocol for better communication and data transfer |
| 283 | Laser Light | 5 | Relay | Optical | - | 200,000 | - | USA | Reston, VA | Connecting Empower Space Alliance's all-optical Space-to-Earth data distribution network |
| 284 | PTS (w/ Vodafone) | 5 | Space to Ground | UHF | - | 0 | - | Germany | Berlin | Setting up a LTE base-station on the Moon to provide the start of a communications infrastructure for future lunar missions |
| 285 | Transcelestial | 5 | Space to Ground | Optical | 11.44 | 100,000 | - | Singapore | Singapore | Developing a constellation of nanosatellites for ground, space and deep space communications applications |
| 286 | Aquarian Space | 4 | Space to Space | - | 0.05 | 300 | - | USA | Boulder, CO | Enabling deep space exploration through a revolutionary solar system wide high capacity communications network |
| 287 | Solstar | 4 | Space to Ground | - | 0.338 | 0 | - | USA | Santa Fe, NM | Providing commercial internet/communications services to astronauts and machines in space |
| 288 | Celestial | 3 | Relay | S-, X- | - | 0 | - | Germany | Berlin | Enabling cis-lunar communication to support a growing space economy |
| 289 | NanoRaven | 3 | Space to Space | - | - | 0 | - | France | Montpellier | Our mission is to provide highly reliable communications solutions for onboard data processing for CubeSats |
| 290 | CommStar Space | 2 | Relay | RF, Optical | - | 0 | - | USA | Reston, VA | Transforming the way space communications are delivered, operated, and made accessible |
| 291 | TXMission | 2 | Space to Space | S-, X- | - | 500 | - | USA | Santa Barbara, CA | Specializing in smallsat modem communications for the New Space industry |
| 292 | Astrogate Labs | 1 | Relay | Optical | - | 0 | - | India | Bangaluru, Karnataka | Building the entire chain of optical communication systems |
| 293 | GroundCom | 1 | Space to Ground | - | - | 0 | - | Czech Republic | Brno | Creating a network of ground stations that will provide communication as a service to mission operators |
| 294 | Indicium | 1 | Space to Space | Optical | - | 0 | - | Canada | - | Deploying a fully independent data center on the Moon for future lunar infrastructure and space missions as well as for terrestrial purposes |
| 295 | Plus Ultra | 2 | Space to Space | Ka-, S-, Optical | - | 100 | - | Spain | Madrid | Developing a LLO satellite constellation for high-speed, 24/7, on demand communications and GPS-like navigation services anywhere on the Moon |
| 235 | Tyvak (Terran Orbital) | 9 | Space to Space | S-, UHF | 44.5 | 46 | - | USA | Irvine, CA | Nanosatellite and CubeSat space vehicle products and services to support operational and scientifically relevant missions |
| Company | SFR | Type | Frequency Bands | Funding ($M) | Data Rate (Mbps) | Price | Country | HQ Location | Description |
SpaceFund Sectors of Interest
SpaceFund is interested in a number of sectors of the space economy, specifically Transportation, Communication, Human Factors, Supplies, and Energy. In the coming months we will post SFR ratings for companies from all of these sectors, providing a robust overview of the state of frontier-enabling companies across the industry. Please check back frequently to view new sub-sector databases, and sign up to receive our emails to be notified of each new release.
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