The company, which specialises in laser communications, optical sensing systems and orbital imaging payloads, said it has already received an initial $22 million in task orders under the broader agreement to begin deploying mobile optical sensing stations designed to support US military space surveillance operations.
The contract forms part of the Pentagon’s Accelerate the Procurement and Fielding of Innovative Technologies program, which aims to rapidly transition emerging technologies into operational service.
Observable Space was selected to deliver its Deployable Attritable Optical Systems, expeditionary telescope platforms capable of tracking satellites and orbital objects from distributed and off-grid locations.
Assistant Secretary for Mission Capabilities Jeremy Verbout said the agreement reflected growing urgency around resilient space domain awareness capabilities: “The Department is acting on the urgent need for mobile, off-grid robotic telescopes. These systems will provide the Joint Force with high-fidelity space domain awareness.”
The company’s $90 million Series A raise was led by Lux Capital and co-led by Upfront Ventures, Detroit Venture Partners, Island Green Capital and RTX Ventures, with additional investment from BRV Capital, Fathom Fund and Venrex.
Observable Space said the funding would support expansion of its laser communications partnerships, increase manufacturing capacity and accelerate international growth.
Chief executive and co-founder Dan Roelker said optical technologies would underpin the next phase of the space economy.
“If you control light, you control space,” Roelker said.
“The organisations capable of tracking objects, navigating spacecraft and transmitting vast amounts of data will define the next generation of orbital infrastructure,” Roelker added.
The company manufactures its systems in Detroit and Los Angeles, including laser communication ground stations, optical sensing systems and in-space payloads.
Observable Space is positioning itself heavily in the emerging laser communications market, which is expected to become increasingly important for military constellations, next-generation satellite networks and in-space computing infrastructure due to significantly higher data transfer speeds compared to traditional radio frequency systems.
The company also confirmed it will launch its first orbital imaging payload later this year. The payload, known as Iguana, is a compact multispectral imaging system designed for rapid integration onto commercial satellite platforms to support space domain awareness and rendezvous operations.
Observable Space additionally operates a global optical observation network spanning more than 40 ground sites worldwide, supporting real-time tracking and monitoring of orbital objects.
To support future growth, the company is expanding its manufacturing footprint in Detroit, with plans to increase domestic production capacity for advanced optical systems and national security technologies.
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