Voyager Space Inc. (Voyager) is intending to acquire a majority stake in Space Micro, an innovative engineering-driven business focused on advancing high-performance satellite communications (SATCOM), digital and electro-optical systems with more than 2.7 million hours of space flight heritage.
Space Micro developed the world’s highest data rate Laser Communications Terminal in orbit. As part of the agreement, Voyager intends to provide strategic operations support to help advance Space Micro’s technology throughput to civil, commercial and defense customers.
Founded in 2002, Space Micro delivers best-in-class satellite technology to the growing commercial market. Space Micro delivered its first computer and image-processing subsystem in space within the first four years as an organization, then went on to develop its first advanced Software Defined Radios for NASA’s Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS), Lunar Atmosphere Dust and Environment Explorer (LADEE) and The Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS).
The company now has multiple active contracts with NASA, including the development of real-time data sorting inference processing units (IPUs) for Earth Observation (EO) missions and for providing X-band transponders for two lunar missions selected under the Artemis program. Space Micro also has a long history in providing critical technology for the U.S. Department of Defense, including Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) space payloads, laser secure communications terminals, and digital RF-to-optical and optical-to-RF signal converters.
Space Micro’s customers include NASA, the U.S. Space Force (USSF), U.S. Air Force (USAF), Space Systems Command (SSC), U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM), Space IL (recipient of the Google X-Prize Moonshot Award), the German Space Agency, and many more. Most recently, Space Micro was awarded a contract to deliver ten NanocomTM Software Defined Radios (SDRs) via Lockheed Martin in support of the Space Development Agency’s Tranche 0 satellite constellation.
This announcement rounds out nearly two years of immense growth for Voyager Space, following most recently the acquisition of Valley Tech Systems.
“For almost two decades Space Micro has developed game-changing technologies and provided trusted high-performance satellite communications systems,” said Space Micro Co-Founder and Chairman, David Strobel. “Today marks a huge step in our growth trajectory. The satellite constellation market stands at the tipping point of explosive expansion and now, with the Voyager team and operational functions by our side, we will be prepared to scale our technologies to meet these market needs.”
“Expanding our already rapidly-growing laser and optical communications systems is a top priority going forward,” said Space Micro Co-Founder and CEO, David Czajkowski. “We have an unbeatable record of zero in-orbit failures since our first launch, and that’s a record we seek to maintain as we continue to grow these critical, high-demand satellite technologies.”
“Space Micro is a perfect addition to Voyager’s growing NewSpace portfolio of entrepreneurs and technology capabilities,” said Matthew Kuta, President and COO of Voyager Space. “What Space Micro has accomplished on their own is outstanding - and they have a diverse customer base to prove it. Now in partnership with Voyager, Space Micro will have the opportunity to expand its technology footprint and remain at the forefront of innovation for advanced satellite and communications systems.”
