Funding the High Ground

The funding of the next space race landscape

December 21, 2025 Fudge Factor

🛰️ Launches and Funding

• 🇯🇵 Rocket Lab completed its 21st successful Electron mission for 2025, “The Wisdom God Guides,” deploying the QPS-SAR-15 satellite for iQPS. By maintaining 100% mission success rate for the year, the market seems to be pleased with RKLB.
• 🇮🇳 Digantara raised $50M Series-B to fund the deployment of its 15-satellite SCOT (Space Camera for Object Tracking) surveillance constellation and ALBATROSS (missile-warning) satellites, which aim to provide near-real-time threat detection.

📚 A Growing List of of Space Value Chain (SVC) Companies

I’ve been thinking about the growing list of space value chain (SVC) companies. But how to visualize that market landscape?

For now, I’ve decide on https://github.com/cncf/landscape2 and checked in a mostly working version: https://github.com/JayCuthrell/svc.fudge.org

The result? Space Value Chain (SVC) Landscape 🤓 The GitHub Actions build process even generates a landscape.png and landscape.pdf. Pull requests welcomed! I’m not sure I can justify a paid Crunchbase API license but that would be fun to try out for a while. If you don’t want to read YAML, this is where the idea started:

🧠 Orbital Compute, Data Processing & AI

• Aetherflux: Integrated power and compute (“Galactic Brain” constellation).
• Agnikul Cosmos: Fully reusable launch services.
• Axiom Space: Hosting server racks on commercial space stations.
• Crusoe: High-performance compute partner for orbital training.
• LEOcloud: Specialized in-orbit edge computing services.
• Nvidia: GPU hardware and backing for orbital AI training.
• OrbitsEdge: Ruggedized SatFrame protection for COTS servers.
• Ramon.Space: Radiation-hardened electronics and storage processors.
• Sidus Space: LizzieSat and FeatherEdge AI satellite buses.
• Starcloud: AI training and inference with H100 payloads.
• Ubotica: AI hardware acceleration via CogniSat platforms.
• Unibap: SpaceCloud iX5 and iX10 edge computing platforms.
• Voyager Space: Cloud services and RedHat OpenShift in orbit.

☁️ Cloud Extension & Satellite Connectivity

• Amazon (Leo/Kuiper): Extending AWS fabric into orbit via private networking.
• AnySignal: Vertical platform for wireless connectivity and radio production.
• AST SpaceMobile: Direct-to-device orbital broadband.
• Astranis: Dedicated MicroGEO satellites for regional connectivity.
• Microsoft Azure Space: Azure Orbital and Space Edge software.
• NTT: Space integrated computing and optical data relay.
• SES: Established operator and partner for MEO networks.
• SKY Perfect JSAT: Partner in optical data relay networks.
• SpaceX: LEO constellations (Starlink) and government solutions (Starshield).

🛠️ Hardware, Manufacturing & Radiation Hardening

• AAC Clyde Space: Satellite bus and subsystem manufacturer.
• Agnikul Cosmos: In-house development of reusable launch vehicles.
• Apex Space: Mass-manufactured satellite buses.
• HPE: Spaceborne Computer-2 on the International Space Station.
• K2 Space: Mega Class high-power satellite buses.
• KP Labs: Smart mission ecosystems and AI Data Processing Units.
• Rocket Lab USA: Launch services and satellite component manufacturing.
• Thales Alenia Space: Payload integration and space edge computing infrastructure.

🛰️ Space Logistics, Servicing & Safety

• Arkisys: Spacecraft logistics and orbital infrastructure.
• D-Orbit: In-orbit delivery and transportation services.
• Odin Space: Space debris sensing and spacecraft collision insurance.
• Space Compass: Optical data relay services.
• ThinkOrbital: Large-scale orbital logistics and construction.
• TransAstra: Orbital logistics and space tugs for datacenters.
• Vaya Space: Launch and hardware protection services.

🌎 Sensing, Imagery & Domain Awareness

• Digantara: Space traffic monitoring and situational awareness.
• HawkEye 360: RF sensing and data analytics.
• ICEYE: Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite constellations.
• iQPS: High-resolution SAR imagery solutions.
• Optimum Technologies: Optical payloads and domain awareness sensors.
• Planet Labs: Global high-cadence Earth observation.
• Xiomas: Thermal and scientific sensing payloads.

🌕 Lunar Exploration & Off-World Hosting

• Intuitive Machines: Lunar surface landers and infrastructure.
• Lonestar: Lunar storage and Disaster Recovery as a Service (DRBCaaS).
• Skycorp: Lunar infrastructure and orbital servicing.

🏛️ Government & Regulatory Agencies

• ESA: European Space Agency.
• ISRO: Indian Space Research Organisation.
• NASA: National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
• NICT: National Institute of Information and Communications Technology.
• NOAA SWPC: Space Weather Prediction Center.
• NSIL: NewSpace India Limited (commercial arm of ISRO).
• SIDC: Solar Influences Data Analysis Center.
• Space Development Agency (SDA): Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture.
• Space Force: United States Space Force.
• US Gov: United States Government.

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