Space Biz Roundup: Recent Raises, Contracts & Partnerships

Updated 9:59 a.m. PST on 12/29/2022: Added Axiom Space’s $50 million Series C round.

Getting caught up on all the recent fundraising, contracts and more in the quiet week between Christmas and New Year’s Eve.

Acquisitions

• Private equity firm Advent International is acquiring Maxar Technologies for $6.4 billion.
• L3Harris is acquiring Aerojet for $4.7 billion.
• NTT Data acquired 2.5% of EOI Space, which is developing very low Earth orbit satellites. The deal that includes the right to sell EOI satellite imagery in Japan.

Raises

• Scotland-based Magnata Networks raised $100 million to build a communications satellite production facility.
• South Korean pharmaceutical company Boryung made a $50 million strategic investment of US$50 million in Axiom Space of Houston. Axiom sent three paying customers to the International Space Station earlier this year. The company is developing modules for the International Space Station and a private space station.
• Cailabs raised €26 million (US $27.68 million) to support the rapid expansion of the company’s laser communications and optical ground station business.
• Germany’s Reflex Aerospace raised $7.4 million in a seed round for its communications satellite constellation.
• Vancouver-based startup Metaspectral raised a $4.7 million seed round for AI cloud-based software designed to measure hyperspectral data in real time.
• Indian startup GalaxEye raised $3.5 million to manufacture the first Earth observation satellite to combine optical sensors and synthetic aperture radar. The satellite will launch in 2023.
• French satellite antenna manufacturer Anywaves raised €3 million (US $3.19 million) attract more U.S.-based clients.
• UK-based Sen raised £2 million (US $2.4 million) to provide high-definition video from space.

Partnerships

• Astroscale Japan has signed a memorandum of understanding with Yusen Logistics, Mizuho Bank, Ltd. and Kids Station Inc., supporting Astroscale’s space debris removal demonstration satellite, Active Debris Removal by Astroscale-Japan (ADRAS-J).
• Astroscale Japan and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) have started concept co-creation activities for a satellite refueling service under the JAXA Space Innovation through Partnership and Co-creation (J-SPARC) program.
• ArrowSpot has signed a multi-million contract with Astrocast for the mass production of ArrowSpot’s ArrowTrack SAT device. The Internet of Things technology allows for the tracking and monitoring of moving assets around the world.
• KSAT will provide operations and control services for GHGSat‘s constellation of five greenhouse gas monitoring satellites.
• VentureScope won a $750,000 contract to establish an external accelerator as part of the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory’s AFWERX program. The Refinery accelerator will provide assistance to innovators within the U.S. Air Force.
• Momentus has won a contract with the Australian Research Council Training Centre for CubeSats, Uncrewed Aerial Vehicles, and their Applications (CUAVA) to launch the Waratah Seek WS-1 CubeSat in October 2023. The mission will carry payloads from winners of a space competition for New South Wales start-ups.

Etcetera

• Indian start-up launch provider Skyroot Aerospace plans to open a new manufacturing and testing facility in Hyderabad.