Colorado Springs, Colorado, June 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On June 13th, 2024, The Catalyst Accelerator team hosted a highly successful on-site demonstration day at Catalyst Campus for Technology and Innovation (CCTI). The event attracted over 115 attendees eager to meet the seven Space Domain Awareness (SDA) cohort companies and gain insight into their cutting-edge, dual-use technology solutions. In attendance were Air Force, Space Force, and other Government personnel. Additionally, industry leaders, investors, and those curious about where the U.S. is heading with SDA capabilities were in attendance as well.
The SDA cohort marked the 13th Accelerator facilitated by CCTI. The Catalyst Accelerator team was thrilled to welcome several new sponsors into their support network to include Maxar Intelligence, who was the proud sponsor of the second session of the Accelerator, as well as Leonid, Delta Solutions & Strategies, and 5 Star Bank, who all served generously as event sponsors. The problem statement for this cohort was focused on how the United States Space Force can introduce commercial capabilities to its mission environment for Space Domain Awareness. The cohort companies were chosen for their technology and business readiness from a pool of over 25 applicants and began their Accelerator experience on March 19th, 2024. Raul Diaz, one of the Catalyst Accelerator Government Navigators, had the pleasure of working with the seven companies closely throughout the program, offering his extensive government experience. He shared, “I was so happy to be involved with the SDA Cohort. Great interaction with all the companies. Such innovation. Great leadership and support from the government and Catalyst Campus team as well. Everyone working together is what it's all about!”
Over the course of the Accelerator, the companies were guided by the following subject matter experts: Government Navigators and end-users, enabling them to better understand government space needs; business experts, helping them pivot their technology and corporate posture to position themselves well in the government market; and Commercial Navigators (General Dynamics, Scout Space, Kratos, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Freedom Space, American Systems, Colsa and Red Shred), helping them step into the government arena with advice, consulting, and key contact introductions within the government and commercial sectors.
Demo Day marked the culmination of the SDA Accelerator, showcasing the cohort’s dedication, the evolution of their technology, and the adaptation of their business model to align with the U.S. Space Force's needs. Their innovative capabilities have the potential to revolutionize this industry, offering enhanced competencies and efficiency. Moreover, the outstanding messages from the keynote speakers, Col Deborah Van Caster, Individual Mobilization Augmentee (IMA) to the Space Delta 2 Commander, and Maj Sean Allen, Chief of the Space Domain Awareness Tools Applications and Processing Lab (SDA TAP Lab), allowed participants to gain a deeper understanding of the importance of using commercial data to strengthen the awareness of the space environment. Overall, the event provided an invaluable opportunity for attendees to network, engage with the cohort companies, and explore potential collaborations.
The Cyber Navigator for this cohort, Ernest Campos, Account Executive Space Programs at American Systems, expressed, “The #CASDA2 Demo Day was an incredible event, and American Systems was honored to have been an integral part of the entire cohort experience. The businesses who participated in the program demonstrated incredible growth both from a business posture as well as the development of their marketable capabilities. The United States Space Force and our nation at large will be safer and more secure as a result of companies like these who have completed the program.”
For more information about the Catalyst Accelerator and its SDA cohort, please visit https://catalystaccelerator.space/cohort_page/space-domain-awareness/.
Cohort companies included:
Active Vigilance (Cheyenne, Wyoming) At Active Vigilance, we are spearheading the deployment of onboard artificial intelligence and machine learning for aerospace applications. Our vision is a safer world where space assets survive through events no one could have predicted, limiting the effects of hostile action, and maintaining deterrence. Active Vigilance provides the most efficient and trustworthy machine learning, enabling human-on-the loop control of autonomous space assets. Active Vigilance has developed machine learning which needs minimal training data and collaborates with human oversight to ensure mission goals are met. With flexible hardware implementations including in space and on the ground, Active Vigilance offers a new resilience for in-space and other high-value, complex assets.
Astra Ultra (Littleton, Colorado) Astra Ultra is revolutionizing space domain awareness with our cutting-edge artificial intelligence technology. Our AI systems provide unparalleled accuracy in tracking and predicting orbital patterns, ensuring enhanced safety and strategic planning for satellite operations. By integrating advanced machine learning algorithms, Astra Ultra offers real-time data analysis and decision-making capabilities, ensuring continued mission capability and success. Our commitment to innovation positions Astra Ultra as a pivotal player in shaping the future of space domain awareness.
The Exclosure (San Francisco, California) Exclosure stands at the forefront of space situational awareness, revolutionizing the field with our global network of AI/ML-enhanced observatories. Compact yet powerful, our observatories deliver unprecedented revisit rates for analyzing orbital and atmospheric objects. We blend cutting-edge artificial intelligence with advanced data processing to offer real-time insights, pushing the boundaries of what's possible in space observation and security. Exclosure seeks to provide not just space domain awareness, but space domain empowerment.
iMETALX Inc. (Sausalito, California) iMETALX is at the forefront of space technology, offering cutting-edge observation and surveillance services. Utilizing sophisticated sensors and algorithms, the company excels in identifying, tracking, and analyzing satellites and debris across low earth orbit and beyond. Essential for maintaining space situational awareness, iMETALX's services safeguard the functionality and safety of space assets through comprehensive imagery and data, while also facilitating effective operations for in-space services.
Orbital Services Corporation LLC (OSCorp) (Colorado Springs, Colorado) OSCorp is an in-space services company at the vanguard of cementing U.S. space supremacy to safeguard the space domain and build a thriving in-space economy. We develop cutting-edge technologies at the nexus of GN&C, AI/ML, LiDAR sensors, space robotics, and lasercom terminals–the building blocks that would enable safe and robust ADR involving RPOC of uncooperative spacecraft.
https://www.orbitalservicescorporation.com
Quasar Satellite Technologies (Sydney, Australia) Quasar has developed a state-of-the-art, fully digital multibeam phased array antenna, capable of simultaneously delivering SDA & SATCOM from a single aperture, marking a revolutionary advancement in All-Sky visibility.
TRL 11 Inc. (Irvine, California) TRL11 is advancing the development and utilization of full motion video for spacecraft operations and space security. The company is building cameras and recording systems emphasizing real-time and low power video feeds from space. Central to TRL11’s innovative approach is its proprietary AI/ML video processing software which employs a novel compression technique and downlinks only the valuable content in a recording to streamline insights for ground operators while minimizing bandwidth costs.
About Catalyst Accelerator
The Air Force Research Laboratory Space Vehicles Directorate and United States Space Force’s Catalyst Accelerator is a NewSpace-focused defense and national security industry accelerator, headquartered on the Catalyst Campus for Technology and Innovation (CCTI, a Colorado 501(c)3) in Colorado Springs, Colorado. CCTI is a collaborative ecosystem where industry, small business, entrepreneurs, startups, government, academia, and investors intersect with Colorado’s aerospace and defense industry to create community, spark innovation, and stimulate business growth.
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