Scout Space raises $18 million to expand orbital tracking technology
DENVER - Scout Space, a startup focused on space domain awareness technologies, closed an $18 million Series A funding round, the company said May 6.
The funding round was led by Washington Harbour Partners, with participation from Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation (VIPC), Noblis Ventures, Decisive Point, Fusion Fund and other existing investors.
The funding will support upcoming missions and expand the company's manufacturing capacity, including the buildout of a 2,600-square-foot facility in Northern Virginia, Scout said. Founded in 2019 and based in Reston, Virginia, Scout develops sensors and software designed to detect, track and characterize objects in orbit. Its systems combine optical payloads with onboard, or edge data processing and autonomous software, allowing spacecraft to analyze their surroundings.
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"A widely proliferated network of in-space sensors is fundamental to understanding and operating safely in orbit," said Josiah Gruber, chief executive of Scout Space.
The company's business model centers on supplying space domain awareness sensors and software that can be integrated onto a range of spacecraft, rather than building standalone satellites.
Mina Faltas, founder and chief investment officer of Washington Harbour Partners, said Scout is "building the sensing layer needed to understand and operate in that environment," adding that its platform-agnostic approach allows integration across different missions and architectures.
Scout is working with Blue Origin to integrate its Owl sensor on the inaugural mission of Blue Ring, a maneuverable, multi-mission spacecraft designed for payload hosting and on-orbit services in geostationary orbit and beyond. The company also has secured defense contracts from the U.S. Space Force.
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