Radar · Space Tech in United States
Best Space Tech Companies in United States
The 590 best Space Tech companies in United States in 2026, ranked by funding and momentum. Funding, investors, founders, valuation, tech stack and live signals. Top: SpaceX.
By Riya SenguptaFinancials
590companies tracked
$27.9Bdisclosed funding
14unicorns
254have raised
$27.9 billion in disclosed funding across 590 tracked companies makes the United States the undisputed center of gravity for Space Tech investment. This directory ranks those companies by disclosed equity funding and recent funding momentum, giving you a clear-eyed map of where capital has actually landed.
The sector median revenue sits at $97 million, but that figure obscures some serious outliers. EchoStar Corp pulls $3.7 billion, 38 times the median. Aerojet Rocketdyne Holdings clears $566 million, still 6 times above it. SpaceX alone accounts for $11.9 billion in disclosed funding, more than 40% of the entire pool we track. Sierra Space follows at $1.7 billion, Vast at $500 million. So what's driving continued capital formation here? As shown in 2022 research on commercial space sustainability, institutional confidence in recurring-revenue models, from satellite data subscriptions to launch contracts, is what separates durable operators from one-round wonders. The 14 unicorns in this directory aren't anomalies. They're the proof. Median app install growth of roughly 17% year-over-year across defense and space categories tells me demand-side momentum is real, not just a funding-cycle artifact. NASA, Y Combinator, and Space Angels are among the most active backers here, and that mix of government and venture money tends to produce companies worth watching closely.
Ranked: Best Space Tech companies in United States
| # | Company | Disclosed funding | Last round | Employees | Founded | Tech stack | Web popularity | Market signals (1y) | Patents & IP focus | Recent signals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | SpaceX 🦄 Provider of advanced aerospace and space transportation services 87Funding top 11%Partners top 13%News top 16%Market top 18% All 11 signals ▾Fundingtop 11% Partnerstop 13% Newstop 16% Markettop 18% Moattop 20% Growthtop 30% Techtop 30% Talenttop 35% Producttop 38% Innovationtop 46% Globaltop 48% Funding: Raised $11.9B across 27 rounds · 27 rounds over 24 yrs (1.1/yr) Partners: 5 partnership announcements in 12 mo (7 in 24 mo) · 34 contract events in 12 mo rank vs industry peers · Fliar Intelligence Index 87/100 | $11.9B | 3 mo ago | 13,612 13,612 → 20,010 (+47%) · sector median +9% | 2002 | Cart FunctionalityShopifyApple iCloud Mail+25 | Top 100k | 125 signals ▲102% Contracts · M&A · IPO | — | — |
| 2 | Sierra Space 🦄 Developer of space systems, components, spacecraft, propulsion, and related technologies 74Funding top 12%Patents top 18%Moat top 25%News top 32% All 10 signals ▾Fundingtop 12% Patentstop 18% Moattop 25% Newstop 32% Innovationtop 34% Markettop 35% Techtop 41% Growthtop 42% Producttop 45% Globalbottom 40% Funding: Raised $1.7B across 7 rounds · 7 rounds over 5 yrs (1.4/yr) Patents: 84 patents matched (strict assignee match) · 82 filings since 2022 vs 2 in 2017-21 rank vs industry peers · Fliar Intelligence Index 74/100 | $1.7B | 3 mo ago | 1,023 1,023 → 1,336 (+31%) · sector median +9% | 2021 | WordPressMySQLPHP+37 | Top 5M | 6 signals Funding · Capital raise | 84 patents Space habitat hardware, in-space manufacturing, propulsion, solar power, and microgravity life-support systems | 1 internship |
| 3 | Relativity Space 🦄 Provider of AI-powered 3D printed launch vehicles for small payloads 90Patents top 17%Funding top 20%Growth top 21%Innovation top 22% All 11 signals ▾Patentstop 17% Fundingtop 20% Growthtop 21% Innovationtop 22% Moattop 22% Talenttop 35% Markettop 36% Techtop 36% AItop 45% Globalbottom 42% Newsbottom 23% Patents: 124 patents matched (strict assignee match) · 107 filings since 2022 vs 17 in 2017-21 Funding: Raised $1.3B across 7 rounds · 7 rounds over 10 yrs (0.7/yr) rank vs industry peers · Fliar Intelligence Index 90/100 | $1.3B | 17 mo ago | 631 | 2015 | Squarespace CommerceSquarespaceApple iCloud Mail+24 | Top 5M | — | 124 patents Advanced metal additive manufacturing, process control, and large‑scale component assembly | 1 job opening · 1 launch · 1 expansion |
| 4 | Astranis 🦄 Developer of satellite-based communication services 76Funding top 15%Product top 26%Moat top 26%Innovation top 27% All 11 signals ▾Fundingtop 15% Producttop 26% Moattop 26% Innovationtop 27% Growthtop 34% Talenttop 34% Markettop 40% Partnerstop 40% Techbottom 49% Globalbottom 39% Newsbottom 29% Funding: Raised $753M across 10 rounds · 10 rounds over 11 yrs (0.9/yr) Product: 3 distinct product lines · Company stage: Series E rank vs industry peers · Fliar Intelligence Index 76/100 | $753M | 1 mo ago | 195 | 2015 | WebflowApple iCloud MailGoogle Workspace+17 | Top 5M | — | — | — |
| 5 | Vast Developer of commercial space stations designed for long-term space habitation 64Funding top 18%Growth top 35%Talent top 38%Tech top 45% All 7 signals ▾Fundingtop 18% Growthtop 35% Talenttop 38% Techtop 45% Moattop 48% Markettop 49% Globalbottom 39% Funding: Raised $500M across 2 rounds · 2 rounds over 1 yrs (2.0/yr) Growth: Fresh capital in last 24 mo rank vs industry peers · Fliar Intelligence Index 64/100 | $500M | 3 mo ago | 192 | 2021 | WebflowApple iCloud MailGoogle Workspace+15 | Top 5M | — | — | 1 launch · 1 partnership |
| 6 | Planet 🦄 Provider of daily satellite imagery and geospatial data analytics services 62Funding top 16%Tech top 20%Moat top 28%Product top 35% All 11 signals ▾Fundingtop 16% Techtop 20% Moattop 28% Producttop 35% Newstop 37% Patentstop 39% Globaltop 40% Markettop 41% Innovationtop 47% Talentbottom 49% Growthbottom 38% Funding: Raised $484M across 11 rounds · 11 rounds over 15 yrs (0.7/yr) Tech: 88 technologies across 6/8 capability areas · Cloud: Amazon Cloudfront, Amazon S3 rank vs industry peers · Fliar Intelligence Index 62/100 | $484M | 9 mo ago | 25 | 2010 | SanityApple iCloud MailGoogle Workspace+38 | Top 100k | 16 signals ▲45% Earnings · Acquisition | 93 patents Satellite remote sensing: SAR imaging, HDR optics, antenna design, deployment mechanisms, RF interference mitigation | 3 launchs · 1 partnership |
| 7 | Axiom Space 🦄 Developer of commercial space stations for habitation 74Funding top 20%Product top 21%Tech top 23%Innovation top 25% All 10 signals ▾Fundingtop 20% Producttop 21% Techtop 23% Innovationtop 25% Moattop 26% Newstop 27% Talenttop 28% Growthtop 30% Globalbottom 45% Marketbottom 35% Funding: Raised $480M across 3 rounds · 3 rounds over 8 yrs (0.4/yr) Product: 9 distinct product lines · Company stage: Series D rank vs industry peers · Fliar Intelligence Index 74/100 | $480M | 4 mo ago | 2 | 2016 | MagentoApple iCloud MailTypeScript+17 | Top 5M | 7 signals ▲75% Funding | — | 1 partnership |
| 8 | HawkEye 360 Developer of satellite-based geographic monitoring and communication solutions 67Funding top 9%News top 18%Talent top 25%Moat top 28% All 11 signals ▾Fundingtop 9% Newstop 18% Talenttop 25% Moattop 28% Growthtop 30% Patentstop 31% Innovationtop 36% Producttop 39% Techtop 41% Globalbottom 39% Marketbottom 33% Funding: Raised $387M across 13 rounds · 13 rounds over 10 yrs (1.3/yr) News: 17 BI events in 12 mo (of 71 tracked, 8 types) · +55% YoY rank vs industry peers · Fliar Intelligence Index 67/100 | $387M | 3 mo ago | 21 | 2015 | WordPressMySQLPHP+27 | Top 5M | 17 signals ▲55% Leadership · Funding · IPO | 74 patents RF signal geolocation and emitter identification for spectrum monitoring | — |
| 9 | Firefly Aerospace 🦄 Provider of small and medium satellite launch vehicles, lunar landers, and orbital vehicles 72Product top 19%News top 21%Funding top 25%Moat top 28% All 12 signals ▾Producttop 19% Newstop 21% Fundingtop 25% Moattop 28% Growthtop 31% Markettop 32% Innovationtop 39% Techtop 42% Fin. healthtop 47% Patentstop 48% Talentbottom 49% Globalbottom 37% Product: 3 distinct product lines · Company stage: Public News: 53 BI events in 12 mo (of 98 tracked, 12 types) · +562% YoY rank vs industry peers · Fliar Intelligence Index 72/100 | $363M | 12 mo ago | 384 | 2014 | DrupalApple iCloud MailPHP+27 | Top 1M | 53 signals ▲562% IPO · Earnings · Lawsuit | 8 patents Liquid rocket engine cooling, power tap-off, and propellant injection technologies | 1 launch · 1 partnership · 1 award |
| 10 | Ursa Major Provider of turnkey propulsion solutions for a wide range of vehicles 62Funding top 19%Growth top 26%Moat top 31%Tech top 33% All 9 signals ▾Fundingtop 19% Growthtop 26% Moattop 31% Techtop 33% Talenttop 38% Marketbottom 49% Innovationbottom 40% Globalbottom 37% Patentsbottom 28% Funding: Raised $323M across 9 rounds · 9 rounds over 5 yrs (1.8/yr) Growth: Headcount 72 → 137 (+90%) across vintages · Fresh capital in last 24 mo rank vs industry peers · Fliar Intelligence Index 62/100 | $323M | 6 mo ago | 137 | 2015 | ContentfulApple iCloud MailNode.js+17 | Top 5M | — | 6 patents Innovative slot machine reel mechanisms and game designs for casino gaming hardware. | — |
| 11 | Spire Provider of space-based data, analytics, and space services using a large nanosatellite constellation in low… 64Partners top 17%Funding top 18%Moat top 29%Market top 30% All 13 signals ▾Partnerstop 17% Fundingtop 18% Moattop 29% Markettop 30% Patentstop 33% Talenttop 33% Newstop 37% Innovationtop 43% Techtop 44% Producttop 46% Globaltop 47% Growthbottom 45% Fin. healthbottom 45% Partners: 6 contract events in 12 mo · Named contractor/client in 6 deals Funding: Raised $246M across 18 rounds · 18 rounds over 13 yrs (1.4/yr) rank vs industry peers · Fliar Intelligence Index 64/100 | $246M | 2 mo ago | 132 | 2012 | WordPressApple iCloud MailMySQL+25 | Top 5M | 31 signals ▼48% Earnings · Contracts · Leadership | 147 patents Wearable physiological monitoring devices and low-cost satellite communication systems | 1 partnership |
| 12 | Impulse Space Provider of affordable in-space payload delivery services | $225M | 13 mo ago | 84 | 2021 | SanityApple iCloud MailNode.js+17 | Top 5M | — | — | 1 job opening · 1 partnership · 1 award |
| 13 | Intuitive Machines Developer of systems and solutions for space services 74Product top 14%Funding top 28%Tech top 29%Innovation top 32% All 10 signals ▾Producttop 14% Fundingtop 28% Techtop 29% Innovationtop 32% Markettop 35% Talenttop 38% Growthtop 39% Newstop 45% Fin. healthtop 49% Globalbottom 32% Product: 8 distinct product lines · Company stage: Public Funding: Raised $195M across 3 rounds · 3 rounds over 3 yrs (1.0/yr) rank vs industry peers · Fliar Intelligence Index 74/100 | $195M | 3 mo ago | 382 382 → 644 (+69%) · sector median +9% | 2013 | DrupalPHPVimeo+25 | Top 5M | 12 signals ▼43% Earnings · M&A · Funding | — | 1 internship · 1 launch · 1 award |
| 14 | Stoke 🦄 Manufacturer of reusable launch vehicles 67Growth top 18%Funding top 22%News top 23%Moat top 28% All 10 signals ▾Growthtop 18% Fundingtop 22% Newstop 23% Moattop 28% Innovationtop 40% Techtop 47% Patentstop 47% Globalbottom 49% Talentbottom 49% Marketbottom 46% Growth: Headcount 5 → 30 (+500%) across vintages · Fresh capital in last 24 mo Funding: Raised $175M across 8 rounds · 8 rounds over 5 yrs (1.6/yr) rank vs industry peers · Fliar Intelligence Index 67/100 | $175M | 4 mo ago | 30 | 2019 | WordPress Block EditorElementorWordPress+21 | Top 5M | 9 signals ▲125% Funding · Capital raise | 23 patents Patents concentrated in electrical & electronics | 1 job opening · 1 expansion |
| 15 | Blue Origin Manufacturer of reusable launch vehicles for large payloads | $166M | 15 mo ago | 368 | 2000 | Cart FunctionalityShopifySentry+24 | Top 500k | 7 signals ▼36% Leadership · Hiring · Acquisition | 368 patents Advanced rocket hardware, propulsion, space manufacturing, and launch vehicle systems | 1 launch |
| 16 | Loft Orbital 🦄 Provider of space mission launch services | $156M | 17 mo ago | 76 | 2016 | WordPressApple iCloud MailGoogle Workspace+28 | Top 5M | — | 7 patents On-orbit satellite servicing and spacecraft operational platforms | 1 launch · 1 partnership |
| 17 | CesiumAstro Developer of communication systems for space, air, and ground missions 60Funding top 26%News top 29%Partners top 32%Growth top 35% All 11 signals ▾Fundingtop 26% Newstop 29% Partnerstop 32% Growthtop 35% Innovationtop 37% Moattop 37% Patentstop 40% Marketbottom 49% Talentbottom 49% Techbottom 44% Globalbottom 44% Funding: Raised $154M across 8 rounds · 8 rounds over 9 yrs (0.9/yr) News: 13 BI events in 12 mo (of 21 tracked, 3 types) · 11 high-value events (IPO/M&A/funding/contracts) in 12 mo rank vs industry peers · Fliar Intelligence Index 60/100 | $154M | 4 mo ago | 141 | 2017 | WebflowApple iCloud MailTypekit+16 | Top 5M | 13 signals Funding · Capital raise · M&A | 12 patents Patents concentrated in electrical & electronics | 1 internship · 4 awards |
| 18 | SpinLaunch Provider of kinetic launch systems for small payloads | $150M | 10 mo ago | 63 63 → 51 (-19%) · sector median +9% | 2014 | WixSentryBootstrap+11 | Top 5M | 6 signals ▲500% Leadership · Funding · Capital raise | 39 patents Optimizing repeat ground tracks and kinetic circular launch accelerators for low‑cost orbital launches | 2 partnerships · 1 expansion |
| 19 | Varda Space Industries In-orbit material testing and manufacturing | $145M | 11 mo ago | 51 | 2020 | WebflowApple iCloud MailYouTube+16 | Top 5M | 6 signals ▲200% Contracts · Funding · Capital raise | — | 4 job openings |
| 20 | LeoLabs Operator of a radar network providing orbital object tracking and intelligence | $129M | 11 mo ago | 116 | 2016 | WordPressApple iCloud MailMySQL+27 | Top 500k | — | 98 patents Space situational awareness radar and phased‑array antenna technologies for tracking debris | 1 job opening · 1 launch |
| 21 | AST & Science Provider of satellite-based cellular broadband network services | $128M | 16 mo ago | 342 | 2017 | WordPress Block EditorWordPress Site EditorWordPress+27 | Top 1M | 28 signals ▲40% Earnings · Contracts · M&A | 215 patents Satellite communications, space hardware calibration, thermal management, and attitude control systems | 4 launchs · 1 partnership · 1 expansion |
| 22 | Apex 🦄 Manufacturer of configurable satellite platforms designed for various mission requirements | $118M | 9 mo ago | 35 | 2022 | WebflowApple iCloud MailAmazon Web Services+16 | Top 5M | — | 63 patents Deterministic real-time shared-memory communication and memory allocation for embedded systems | 1 launch · 2 partnerships · 1 award |
| 23 | True Anomaly 🦄 Developer of materials and products for space solutions 62News top 22%Funding top 25%Growth top 30%Talent top 38% All 10 signals ▾Newstop 22% Fundingtop 25% Growthtop 30% Talenttop 38% Innovationtop 40% Patentstop 42% Moattop 43% Markettop 50% Techbottom 44% Globalbottom 37% News: 6 BI events in 12 mo (of 17 tracked, 5 types) · +100% YoY Funding: Raised $117M across 5 rounds · 5 rounds over 4 yrs (1.2/yr) rank vs industry peers · Fliar Intelligence Index 62/100 | $117M | 1 mo ago | 51 | 2022 | WebflowApple iCloud MailVimeo+14 | Top 5M | 6 signals ▲100% Funding · Capital raise | 9 patents Modular spacecraft bus design and onboard maneuver simulation/control systems | 1 job opening · 1 launch · 1 partnership |
| 24 | X-Bow Systems Manufacturer of solid rocket motors and provider of flight services 50Talent top 28%Funding top 31%Moat top 39%Growth top 46% All 8 signals ▾Talenttop 28% Fundingtop 31% Moattop 39% Growthtop 46% Marketbottom 45% Techbottom 45% Globalbottom 32% Newsbottom 21% Talent: 3 named leaders on record · 3 C-suite/founder profiles curated Funding: Raised $97.0M across 5 rounds · 5 rounds over 4 yrs (1.2/yr) rank vs industry peers · Fliar Intelligence Index 50/100 | $97M | 7 mo ago | 78 | 2016 | WordPressMySQLPHP+19 | Top 5M | — | — | 1 job opening · 1 launch |
| 25 | World View Provider of balloon-based space imagery | $95M | 13 mo ago | 96 96 → 178 (+85%) · sector median +9% | 2013 | Webflow EcommerceWebflowApple iCloud Mail+21 | Top 5M | 4 signals ▲300% Funding · M&A | 57 patents High‑altitude lighter‑than‑air balloon platforms for near‑space payloads | 1 launch |
| 26 | Muon Space Provider of integrated satellite constellation technology stack for Earth intelligence missions | $92M | 10 mo ago | 61 | 2021 | Webflowcore-jsjQuery+14 | Top 5M | — | — | 3 job openings · 2 launchs · 1 expansion |
| 27 | Hubble Provider of Bluetooth connectivity solutions for global Internet of Things devices 57Funding top 26%Tech top 29%Moat top 30%Talent top 38% All 9 signals ▾Fundingtop 26% Techtop 29% Moattop 30% Talenttop 38% Innovationtop 39% Producttop 46% Patentstop 47% Globalbottom 43% Marketbottom 37% Funding: Raised $70.0M across 1 rounds · 1 rounds over 1 yrs (1.0/yr) Tech: 39 technologies across 5/8 capability areas · Cloud: Amazon S3, Amazon Web Services rank vs industry peers · Fliar Intelligence Index 57/100 | $70M | 7 mo ago | — | 2021 | WebflowVimeoAmazon Web Services+25 | Top 5M | — | 20 patents Electrical safety and control components for lighting and power distribution systems | 1 partnership · 1 award |
| 28 | Ursa Space Provider of an AI and cloud-based satellite intelligence solution for businesses and governments 35Funding top 27%Talent top 28%Moat top 31%Tech top 39% All 10 signals ▾Fundingtop 27% Talenttop 28% Moattop 31% Techtop 39% Growthtop 45% Producttop 45% Globalbottom 37% Marketbottom 34% Newsbottom 21% Fin. healthbottom 10% Funding: Raised $65.9M across 13 rounds · 13 rounds over 11 yrs (1.2/yr) Talent: Analyst team rating 4/5 · 3 named leaders on record rank vs industry peers · Fliar Intelligence Index 35/100 | $66M | 9 mo ago | 70 | 2014 | WordPressApple iCloud MailGoogle Workspace+29 | Top 10M | — | — | 3 internships |
| 29 | Benchmark Developer of propulsion systems for satellites | $56M | 12 mo ago | 58 58 → 63 (+9%) · sector median +9% | 2017 | HubSpot CMS HubHubSpotcore-js+14 | Top 10M | — | 14 patents Predictive analytics for law‑enforcement use‑of‑force and officer risk assessment | 1 job opening |
| 30 | Xona Space Systems Developer of positioning, navigation, and timing infrastructure for connected systems 57Funding top 23%Talent top 23%Growth top 26%Moat top 39% All 8 signals ▾Fundingtop 23% Talenttop 23% Growthtop 26% Moattop 39% Techbottom 44% Globalbottom 39% Marketbottom 34% Newsbottom 18% Funding: Raised $55.0M across 8 rounds · 8 rounds over 6 yrs (1.3/yr) Talent: 5 named leaders on record · 5 C-suite/founder profiles curated rank vs industry peers · Fliar Intelligence Index 57/100 | $55M | 2 mo ago | 41 | 2019 | Framer SitesReactLenis+8 | Top 10M | — | — | — |
| 31 | Orbital Sidekick Platform offering space-based hyperspectral imaging and analysis solutions | $44M | 11 mo ago | 27 27 → 20 (-26%) · sector median +9% | 2016 | — | — | — | — | 1 job opening |
| 32 | Morpheus Space Developer of electric propulsion systems for small satellite mobility solutions 50Talent top 28%Tech top 37%Funding top 39%Growth top 45% All 7 signals ▾Talenttop 28% Techtop 37% Fundingtop 39% Growthtop 45% Globalbottom 39% Moatbottom 38% Marketbottom 36% Talent: 3 named leaders on record · 3 C-suite/founder profiles curated Tech: 26 technologies across 5/8 capability areas · Cloud: Cloudflare, Google Cloud rank vs industry peers · Fliar Intelligence Index 50/100 | $43M | 4 mo ago | 38 | 2018 | Wix eCommerceWixSentry+19 | Top 10M | — | — | 1 launch |
| 33 | Orbit Fab Provider of in-space refueling services and hardware for spacecraft operations 62Innovation top 23%Patents top 25%Moat top 30%Growth top 35% All 9 signals ▾Innovationtop 23% Patentstop 25% Moattop 30% Growthtop 35% Fundingtop 36% Marketbottom 45% Techbottom 45% Newsbottom 42% Globalbottom 42% Innovation: 46 patents (top 33% of patent-holders) · 35 filings since 2022 vs 11 in 2017-21 Patents: 46 patents matched (strict assignee match) · 35 filings since 2022 vs 11 in 2017-21 rank vs industry peers · Fliar Intelligence Index 62/100 | $43M | 3 mo ago | 100 100 → 93 (-7%) · sector median +9% | 2018 | WordPressApple iCloud MailMySQL+23 | Top 10M | — | 46 patents In-space fluid transfer, valve, propellant production, and fiducial marker technologies for spacecraft servicing | 1 launch |
| 34 | Starfish Space Developer of autonomous spacecraft for on-orbit satellite servicing and life extension 50Growth top 28%Funding top 37%News top 38%Talent top 38% All 8 signals ▾Growthtop 28% Fundingtop 37% Newstop 38% Talenttop 38% Moattop 48% Marketbottom 40% Globalbottom 39% Techbottom 37% Growth: Web rank 10,000,000 → 5,000,000 YoY · Fresh capital in last 24 mo Funding: Raised $42.0M across 5 rounds · 5 rounds over 5 yrs (1.0/yr) rank vs industry peers · Fliar Intelligence Index 50/100 | $42M | 2 mo ago | 44 | 2019 | WordPressMySQLPHP+13 | Top 5M | 3 signals ▲200% Funding | — | 2 partnerships |
| 35 | Orbion Space Technology Developer of integrated Hall-effect propulsion systems for small satellite applications | $42M | 6 mo ago | 50 | 2016 | WordPressMySQLPHP+21 | Top 10M | — | 30 patents Electric Hall‑effect thrusters and onboard propulsion testing for small satellite spacecraft. | — |
| 36 | Momentus Space Developer of in-space transportation solutions | $34M | 8 mo ago | 103 103 → 61 (-41%) · sector median +9% | 2017 | WordPressMySQLPHP+20 | Top 10M | 7 signals ▼22% Announcements · Earnings · Funding | 24 patents In-space microwave‑electrothermal propulsion and integrated thermal‑capacity management for satellite constellations | 4 job openings |
| 37 | Hydrosat Satellite data for irrigation and crop management solutions 60Funding top 24%Tech top 31%News top 32%Growth top 35% All 9 signals ▾Fundingtop 24% Techtop 31% Newstop 32% Growthtop 35% Talenttop 38% Moattop 39% Producttop 46% Marketbottom 40% Globalbottom 38% Funding: Raised $30.0M across 7 rounds · 7 rounds over 7 yrs (1.0/yr) Tech: 42 technologies across 5/8 capability areas · Cloud: Amazon Cloudfront, Amazon S3 rank vs industry peers · Fliar Intelligence Index 60/100 | $30M | 5 mo ago | 41 | 2017 | WordPressMySQLSalesforce+21 | Top 10M | 4 signals Funding | — | 1 launch · 1 partnership |
| 38 | Agile Space Industries Manufacturer of chemical propulsion systems, hotfire testing, and related manufacturing | $17M | 6 mo ago | 68 | 2009 | Cart FunctionalitySquarespace CommerceSquarespace+9 | Top 5M | 3 signals ▲200% Funding · Hiring | — | — |
| 39 | Redwire Space Developer of diversified satellite components | $15M | 3 mo ago | 700 | 2020 | WordPressApple iCloud MailMySQL+29 | Top 5M | 20 signals ▼56% Leadership · Earnings · Contracts | — | — |
| 40 | Antaris Provider of cloud platform for satellite mission design, simulation, and operation | $14M | 3 mo ago | 11 | 2021 | Cart FunctionalitySquarespace CommerceSquarespace+24 | Top 10M | 4 signals Funding · M&A | 14 patents On-orbit autonomous satellite recovery and software-defined space communication systems | 1 partnership |
| 41 | Sophia Space Developer of orbital compute and data centers powered by solar energy | $14M | 5 mo ago | — | 2025 | Framer SitesApple iCloud MailReact+9 | Top 50M | — | — | — |
| 42 | Firehawk Aerospace Provider of 3D printed propulsion systems 45Funding top 30%Innovation top 32%Patents top 35%Moat top 46% All 9 signals ▾Fundingtop 30% Innovationtop 32% Patentstop 35% Moattop 46% Talentbottom 49% Techbottom 46% Globalbottom 37% Marketbottom 36% Newsbottom 35% Funding: Raised $12.3M across 5 rounds · 5 rounds over 6 yrs (0.8/yr) Innovation: 20 patents (top 52% of patent-holders) · 20 filings since 2022 vs 0 in 2017-21 rank vs industry peers · Fliar Intelligence Index 45/100 | $12M | 7 mo ago | 31 | 2018 | WordPressApple iCloud MailMySQL+24 | Top 10M | — | 20 patents Patents concentrated in mechanical & energy engineering | 1 job opening · 1 partnership · 1 expansion |
| 43 | Star Catcher Space-based energy grid solutions for space operations 50Talent top 28%Funding top 32%Growth top 35%Moat top 39% All 7 signals ▾Talenttop 28% Fundingtop 32% Growthtop 35% Moattop 39% Techtop 45% Globalbottom 36% Marketbottom 32% Talent: 3 named leaders on record · 3 C-suite/founder profiles curated Funding: Raised $12.2M across 2 rounds · 2 rounds over 2 yrs (1.0/yr) rank vs industry peers · Fliar Intelligence Index 50/100 | $12M | 1 mo ago | — | 2024 | WordPressMySQLPHP+16 | Top 10M | — | — | 6 job openings |
| 44 | Lunar Outpost Developer of robotic systems and infrastructure for planetary surface operations 69Patents top 25%Talent top 28%Innovation top 29%Product top 30% All 10 signals ▾Patentstop 25% Talenttop 28% Innovationtop 29% Producttop 30% Fundingtop 31% Growthtop 35% Techtop 44% Moattop 47% Marketbottom 48% Globalbottom 36% Patents: 36 patents matched (strict assignee match) · 36 filings since 2022 vs 0 in 2017-21 Talent: 4 named leaders on record · 3 C-suite/founder profiles curated rank vs industry peers · Fliar Intelligence Index 69/100 | $12M | 1 mo ago | 70 | 2017 | Wix eCommerceWixSentry+17 | Top 10M | — | 36 patents Lunar rover mobility, thermal conductors, and robotic sampling systems for Moon exploration | 1 internship · 1 partnership · 2 awards |
| 45 | Moonshot Space Developer of electromagnetic launch technology for space infrastructure and hypersonic testing | $12M | 6 mo ago | — | 2017 | WordPressMySQLPHP+16 | Top 50M | — | — | 1 partnership · 1 award |
| 46 | Michigan Aerospace Developer of equipment and products for various industries | $11M | 7 mo ago | — | 1996 | — | — | — | 111 patents Advanced aerospace sensing: air data, lidar, optical diagnostics, and power management systems. | — |
| 47 | Mantis Space Space‑tech startup developing orbital power‑delivery infrastructure | $10M | 3 mo ago | — | 2025 | WebflowVimeoYouTube+13 | Top 10M | — | — | 1 job opening |
| 48 | Diffraqtion Developer of quantum imaging technology designed to enhance visual capabilities in satellites and machines… | $5M | 3 mo ago | — | 2024 | — | — | — | — | 2 internships · 1 award |
| 49 | Array Labs Provider of high-quality 3D imagery on a global scale services | $5M | 5 mo ago | 10 | 2019 | StoryblokTurbopackApple iCloud Mail+13 | Top 50M | — | 68 patents Photovoltaic mounting, stowage, and protection systems for solar modules | 5 job openings |
| 50 | Turion Space Developer of autonomous satellites for debris removal and situational awareness | $5M | 2 mo ago | 36 | 2020 | Framer SitesApple iCloud MailReact+7 | Top 10M | 3 signals Funding | — | 3 job openings · 2 internships |
Top 12 Space Tech companies in United States
#1
SpaceX 🦄Series J · Hawthorne, California · founded 2002 · 13612 employees$11.9Braised▾
SpaceX 🦄
Series J · Hawthorne, California · founded 2002 · 13612 employees
Provider of advanced aerospace and space transportation services. It delivers advanced launch services using reusable rocket systems designed to transport crew and cargo for missions to orbit, the Moon, Mars, and deep space exploration. It also develops and operates large-scale satellite networks that provide high-speed, low-latency internet connectivity across the globe, including remote and underserved regions. It supports human spaceflight programs aimed at expanding long-duration space exploration and increasing access to space for both commercial and governmental missions.
Fliar Intelligence Index™ 87how this company ranks against its industry peers
Funding
top 11%Partners
top 13%News
top 16%Market
top 18%Moat
top 20%Growth
top 30%Funding: Raised $11.9B across 27 rounds · 27 rounds over 24 yrs (1.1/yr) · Last round Series J (Mar 2026)
Partners: 5 partnership announcements in 12 mo (7 in 24 mo) · 34 contract events in 12 mo · Named contractor/client in 34 deals
News: 125 BI events in 12 mo (of 493 tracked, 16 types) · +102% YoY · 83 high-value events (IPO/M&A/funding/contracts) in 12 mo
Audience (LinkedIn): 3.6M LinkedIn followers — 56.1% of this cohort's audience
Funding rounds
- Mar 2026Series J—
- Jan 2025Series J—
- Oct 2023Conventional Debt—
- Jan 2023Series J$750M
Founders & team
Investors
FCC, Legendary Ventures, Mirae Asset, NASA, Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan, Founders Fund
Tech stack
AceAngularApple Icloud MailApple PayAzureAzure Front Door
#2
Astranis 🦄Series E · San Francisco, California · founded 2015 · 195 employees$753Mraised▾
Astranis 🦄
Series E · San Francisco, California · founded 2015 · 195 employees
Developer of satellite-based communication services. It provides users with a platform that develops small-sized, low-cost telecommunication satellites in the geostationary orbit and in a fixed location. It can provide internet connectivity as soon as the satellite is launched to rural areas and indigenous communities.
Fliar Intelligence Index™ 76how this company ranks against its industry peers
Funding
top 15%Product
top 26%Moat
top 26%Innovation
top 27%Growth
top 34%Talent
top 34%Funding: Raised $753M across 10 rounds · 10 rounds over 11 yrs (0.9/yr) · Last round Series E (May 2026)
Product: 3 distinct product lines · Company stage: Series E
Moat: Editorial + unicorn rating 9/10 · Unicorn · 9 curated direct competitors tracked
Audience (LinkedIn): 55k LinkedIn followers
Funding rounds
- May 2026Conventional Debt$155M
- May 2026Series E$300M
- Jul 2024Series D$200M
- Apr 2023Conventional Debt—
Founders & team
Investors
Venrock, Andreessen Horowitz, Y Combinator, Fifty Years, Refactor Capital, TriplePoint Capital
Tech stack
Cart FunctionalityGoogle AnalyticsGoogle Font ApiGoogle Hosted LibrariesJqueryOpen Graph
#3
Series C · Louisville, Colorado · founded 2021 · 1023 employees$1.7Braised▾
Series C · Louisville, Colorado · founded 2021 · 1023 employees
Developer of space systems, components, spacecraft, propulsion, and related technologies. The company provides solutions for commercial spaceflight, national security, and microgravity research. Offerings include spaceplanes, space station habitats, electrical power systems, and environmental control systems. The company also provides hardware, testing, and analysis services.
Fliar Intelligence Index™ 74how this company ranks against its industry peers
Funding
top 12%Patents
top 18%Moat
top 25%News
top 32%Innovation
top 34%Market
top 35%Funding: Raised $1.7B across 7 rounds · 7 rounds over 5 yrs (1.4/yr) · Last round Series C (Mar 2026)
Patents: 84 patents matched (strict assignee match) · 82 filings since 2022 vs 2 in 2017-21 · Latest publication 2026
Moat: Editorial + unicorn rating 9/10 · IP moat: 84 patents · Unicorn
Audience (LinkedIn): 147k LinkedIn followers — 2.3% of this cohort's audience
Funding rounds
- Mar 2026Series C$550M
- May 2025Grant (prize money)$2M
- Feb 2025Grant (prize money)$2M
- Nov 2023Grant (prize money)$1M
Investors
General Atlantic, Coatue, BlackRock, AE Industrial Partners, Moore Strategic Ventures, Kanematsu
Tech stack
AkismetAmazon SesAmazon Web ServicesAnimate.CssBootstrapCloudflare
#4
Acquired · San Francisco, California · founded 2012 · 132 employees$246.5Mraised▾
Acquired · San Francisco, California · founded 2012 · 132 employees
Provider of space-based data, analytics, and space services using a large nanosatellite constellation in low orbit. The company collects and processes radio-frequency and atmospheric signals to deliver actionable insights for weather and climate, aviation, maritime, government, and security use cases, including RF geolocation, flight tracking, ship tracking, and greenhouse gas monitoring. It also offers space-as-a-service solutions that let customers deploy custom payloads and dedicated constellations on its platform, with end-to-end manufacturing, ground station network, and constellation management tools accessible via APIs and dashboards.
Fliar Intelligence Index™ 64how this company ranks against its industry peers
Partners
top 17%Funding
top 18%Moat
top 29%Market
top 30%Patents
top 33%Talent
top 33%Partners: 6 contract events in 12 mo · Named contractor/client in 6 deals · Marquee-customer mentions: top 13% of tracked companies
Funding: Raised $246M across 18 rounds · 18 rounds over 13 yrs (1.4/yr) · Last round Post IPO (Apr 2026)
Moat: Editorial + unicorn rating 6/10 · IP moat: 147 patents · 9 curated direct competitors tracked
Audience (LinkedIn): 68k LinkedIn followers
Activity (LinkedIn): 1 partnerships (incl. Diehl Defence) announced in 12 mo
Funding rounds
- Apr 2026Post IPO$70M
- Mar 2025Post IPO$40M
- Feb 2024Post IPO$10M
- Dec 2021Grant (prize money)$468K
Founders & team
Investors
Gov, Expon Capital, Luxembourg Future Fund, Scottish Enterprise, Signal Group, Grishin Robotics
Tech stack
Amazon CloudfrontAmazon Web ServicesApache Http ServerApple Icloud MailAutoptimizeBootstrap
#5
Public · Herndon, Virginia · founded 2015 · 21 employees$386.7Mraised▾
Public · Herndon, Virginia · founded 2015 · 21 employees
Developer of satellite-based geographic monitoring and communication solutions. It provides users with a constellation of small satellites in low Earth orbit, to generate reports on wireless signals that can be used to track and monitor global transportation networks, assist with emergencies, and provide other data analytics services to various industries. It also provides maritime situational awareness, collecting information about vessels to create a wealth of current and historical data useful for commercial planning and monitoring, and emergency response.
Fliar Intelligence Index™ 67how this company ranks against its industry peers
Funding
top 9%News
top 18%Talent
top 25%Moat
top 28%Growth
top 30%Patents
top 31%Funding: Raised $387M across 13 rounds · 13 rounds over 10 yrs (1.3/yr) · Last round Series E (Mar 2026)
News: 17 BI events in 12 mo (of 71 tracked, 8 types) · +55% YoY · 9 high-value events (IPO/M&A/funding/contracts) in 12 mo
Talent: Analyst team rating 5/5 · 2 named leaders on record · 2 C-suite/founder profiles curated
Audience (LinkedIn): 27k LinkedIn followers
Funding rounds
- Mar 2026Series E$23M
- Dec 2025Conventional Debt—
- Dec 2025Series E$150M
- Apr 2024Conventional Debt$40M
Founders & team
Investors
Advance, NightDragon, Razor's Edge Ventures, Adage Capital Management, Esri, Shield Capital
Tech stack
AccessibeCloudflareCloudflare Bot ManagementFastlyGoogle AnalyticsGsap
#6
Series A · Long Beach, California · founded 2021 · 192 employees$500Mraised▾
Series A · Long Beach, California · founded 2021 · 192 employees
Developer of commercial space stations designed for long-term space habitation. The company is focused on building space stations and advancing technologies for living and working in space. It develops hardware and systems for space station modules, including primary structures, solar arrays, and environmental control systems. The company aims to provide platforms for government astronaut missions, private astronaut missions, and payload missions.
Fliar Intelligence Index™ 64how this company ranks against its industry peers
Funding
top 18%Growth
top 35%Talent
top 38%Tech
top 45%Moat
top 48%Market
top 49%Funding: Raised $500M across 2 rounds · 2 rounds over 1 yrs (2.0/yr) · Last round Conventional Debt (Mar 2026)
Growth: Fresh capital in last 24 mo
Talent: 2 named leaders on record · 2 C-suite/founder profiles curated
Audience (LinkedIn): 105k LinkedIn followers
Activity (LinkedIn): 1 product launches · 1 partnerships (incl. UC San Diego Sanford Stem Cell Institute, Auxilium Biotechnologies, LambdaVision, Inc.) announced in 12 mo
Funding rounds
- Mar 2026Conventional Debt$200M
- Mar 2026Series A$300M
- Nov 2025Seed—
Founders & team
Investors
In-Q-Tel, Balerion Space Ventures, Qatar Investment Authority, Mitsui, MUFG, Nikon
Tech stack
Apple Icloud MailCart FunctionalityCloudflareCookieyesDocusignDropbox
#7
Series D · Houston, Texas · founded 2016 · 2 employees$480Mraised▾
Series D · Houston, Texas · founded 2016 · 2 employees
Developer of commercial space stations for habitation. Its space stations can host microgravity experiments and space-environment materials testing. It is also developing a thruster that can be installed on a mobile propulsion test stand. It also caters to government astronauts, tourists, private companies, and individuals for research, manufacturing, space exploration system testing and tourism.
Fliar Intelligence Index™ 74how this company ranks against its industry peers
Funding
top 20%Product
top 21%Tech
top 23%Innovation
top 25%Moat
top 26%News
top 27%Funding: Raised $480M across 3 rounds · 3 rounds over 8 yrs (0.4/yr) · Last round Series D (Feb 2026)
Product: 9 distinct product lines · Company stage: Series D
Tech: 39 technologies across 5/8 capability areas · Cloud: Amazon Cloudfront, Amazon S3 · Security: Cloudflare Bot Management, Hsts
Audience (LinkedIn): 174k LinkedIn followers — 2.7% of this cohort's audience
Activity (LinkedIn): 1 partnerships (incl. Axiom Space) announced in 12 mo
Funding rounds
- Feb 2026Series D$350M
- Aug 2023Series C$350M
- Feb 2021Series B$130M
- Aug 2018Series A—
Founders & team
Investors
C5 Capital, Starbridge Venture Capital, Hemisphere Ventures, The Venture Collective, Declaration Partners, TQS Advisors
Tech stack
Apple Icloud MailCloudflareCloudflare Bot ManagementFont AwesomeGoogle AnalyticsGoogle Font Api
#8
Series D · Centennial, Colorado · founded 2022 · 51 employees$117Mraised▾
Series D · Centennial, Colorado · founded 2022 · 51 employees
Developer of materials and products for space solutions. It provides users with a platform for designing and manufacturing hardware to support space-related activities. Its features include security systems, sustainability systems, and aerospace solutions
Fliar Intelligence Index™ 62how this company ranks against its industry peers
News
top 22%Funding
top 25%Growth
top 30%Talent
top 38%Innovation
top 40%Patents
top 42%News: 6 BI events in 12 mo (of 17 tracked, 5 types) · +100% YoY · 4 high-value events (IPO/M&A/funding/contracts) in 12 mo
Funding: Raised $117M across 5 rounds · 5 rounds over 4 yrs (1.2/yr) · Last round Series D (Apr 2026)
Growth: Fresh capital in last 24 mo
Audience (LinkedIn): 60k LinkedIn followers
Hiring (LinkedIn): 1 hiring post in 12 mo (public)
Activity (LinkedIn): 1 product launches · 1 partnerships · 1 awards (incl. United States Space Force) announced in 12 mo
Funding rounds
- Apr 2026Series D$650M
- May 2025Conventional Debt—
- Apr 2025Series C$260M
- Dec 2023Series B$100M
Founders & team
Investors
Riot, ACME, Menlo Ventures, 645 Ventures, Narya, Rocketship
Tech stack
Apple Icloud MailCdnjsCloudflareCloudflare Bot ManagementDocusignGoogle Analytics
#9
Public · Houston, Texas · founded 2013 · 382 employees$195.2Mraised▾
Public · Houston, Texas · founded 2013 · 382 employees
Developer of systems and solutions for space services. It provides users with designing and building hardware to support space-related activities. It also provides users with space system management, lunar data services, and orbital data services.
Fliar Intelligence Index™ 74how this company ranks against its industry peers
Product
top 14%Funding
top 28%Tech
top 29%Innovation
top 32%Market
top 35%Talent
top 38%Product: 8 distinct product lines · Company stage: Public
Funding: Raised $195M across 3 rounds · 3 rounds over 3 yrs (1.0/yr) · Last round Post IPO (Feb 2026)
Tech: 48 technologies across 5/8 capability areas · Cloud: Akamai, Amazon Cloudfront · Observability: Sentry
Audience (LinkedIn): 54k LinkedIn followers
Activity (LinkedIn): 1 product launches · 1 awards announced in 12 mo
Funding rounds
- Feb 2026Post IPO$175M
- May 2025Grant (prize money)$212.3K
- Sep 2023Post IPO$20M
Founders & team
Investors
NASA
Tech stack
Acquia Cloud PlatformAcquia Cloud Site FactoryAdobe AnalyticsAdobe Experience Platform Identity ServiceAdobe Experience Platform LaunchAkamai
#10
Stoke 🦄Series D · Kent, Washington · founded 2019 · 30 employees$175Mraised▾
Stoke 🦄
Series D · Kent, Washington · founded 2019 · 30 employees
Manufacturer of reusable launch vehicles. It provides users with a platform that designs and develops reusable rocket systems that can deeply satellite in their orbits. It also offers routine-based launching services to satellite operators.
Fliar Intelligence Index™ 67how this company ranks against its industry peers
Growth
top 18%Funding
top 22%News
top 23%Moat
top 28%Innovation
top 40%Tech
top 47%Growth: Headcount 5 → 30 (+500%) across vintages · Fresh capital in last 24 mo
Funding: Raised $175M across 8 rounds · 8 rounds over 5 yrs (1.6/yr) · Last round Series D (Feb 2026)
News: 9 BI events in 12 mo (of 22 tracked, 2 types) · +125% YoY · 6 high-value events (IPO/M&A/funding/contracts) in 12 mo
Audience (LinkedIn): 74k LinkedIn followers
Hiring (LinkedIn): 1 hiring post in 12 mo (public) · hiring: Senior Structures Design Engineer
Activity (LinkedIn): 1 expansions announced in 12 mo
Funding rounds
- Feb 2026Series D$350M
- Sep 2025Conventional Debt$100M
- Sep 2025Series D$410M
- Jan 2025Series C$260M
Founders & team
Investors
TRAC, Breakthrough Energy, Spark Capital, Point72 Ventures, Toyota Ventures, Alameda Research
Tech stack
Amazon S3Amazon Web ServicesApple Icloud MailCart FunctionalityCloudflareCloudflare Bot Management
#11
Series C · Austin, Texas · founded 2017 · 141 employees$154.2Mraised▾
Series C · Austin, Texas · founded 2017 · 141 employees
Developer of communication systems for space, air, and ground missions. The company provides full-stack, multi-mission hardware and software products. Offerings include integrated LEO satellites and active phased array payloads. Products support beam steering, dynamic frequencies, and on-orbit reconfigurability. The company’s systems facilitate inter-satellite links, mission-data downlink, and multi-beam connectivity.
Fliar Intelligence Index™ 60how this company ranks against its industry peers
Funding
top 26%News
top 29%Partners
top 32%Growth
top 35%Innovation
top 37%Moat
top 37%Funding: Raised $154M across 8 rounds · 8 rounds over 9 yrs (0.9/yr) · Last round Series C (Feb 2026)
News: 13 BI events in 12 mo (of 21 tracked, 3 types) · 11 high-value events (IPO/M&A/funding/contracts) in 12 mo · Top themes: Funding, Capital raise, M&A
Partners: 2 partnership announcements in 12 mo (2 in 24 mo)
Audience (LinkedIn): 26k LinkedIn followers · 169 engagements/post (2.0× cohort median)
Activity (LinkedIn): 4 awards announced in 12 mo
Funding rounds
- Feb 2026Series C$270M
- Jan 2026Conventional Debt$200M
- Jan 2024Series B$65M
- Jan 2023Series B$2.1M
Founders & team
Investors
Airbus Ventures, Kleiner Perkins, Lavrock Ventures, Honeywell, Analog Devices, Franklin Templeton Investments
Tech stack
Apple Icloud MailCdnjsCloudflareGoogle AnalyticsGoogle Font ApiGoogle Hosted Libraries
#12
Series E · Berthoud, Colorado · founded 2015 · 137 employees$323Mraised▾
Series E · Berthoud, Colorado · founded 2015 · 137 employees
Provider of turnkey propulsion solutions for a wide range of vehicles. It provides users with advanced satellite propulsion systems for aerospace missions across commercial and government sectors. Its features include launch components, combustion management abilities, and microsatellite launching abilities.
Fliar Intelligence Index™ 62how this company ranks against its industry peers
Funding
top 19%Growth
top 26%Moat
top 31%Tech
top 33%Talent
top 38%Market
bottom 49%Funding: Raised $323M across 9 rounds · 9 rounds over 5 yrs (1.8/yr) · Last round Series E (Nov 2025)
Growth: Headcount 72 → 137 (+90%) across vintages · Fresh capital in last 24 mo
Moat: Editorial + unicorn rating 8/10 · IP moat: 6 patents · Soonicorn
Audience (LinkedIn): 59k LinkedIn followers
Funding rounds
- Nov 2025Series E$100M
- Aug 2023Series D$138M
- Oct 2022Series D$100M
- Dec 2021Series C$85M
Founders & team
Investors
BlackRock, Alpha Edison, Alsop Louie Partners, Dolby Family Ventures, Explorer 1, Harpoon
Tech stack
AosApple Icloud MailCloudflareCloudflare Bot ManagementGoogle AnalyticsGoogle Tag Manager
Funding & investor landscape
$27.9Btotal disclosed funding
246companies funded
832disclosed rounds
11rounds last 90 days
Most active investors
Techstars22 rounds
Y Combinator22 rounds
Notable founders
Elon Musk
Co-Founder & CEO · SpaceX
Ryan McLinko
Co-Founder · Astranis
John Gedmark
Co-Founder & CEO · Astranis
Peter Platzer
Founder & CEO · Spire
Jeroen Cappaert
Co-Founder & CTO · Spire
Robert Mcgwier
Founder and Technical Adviser · HawkEye 360
John Serafini
CEO and Board Member · HawkEye 360
Jed McCaleb
Founder · Vast
Max Haot
CEO · Vast
Kam Ghaffarian
Co-Founder · Axiom Space
Michael Suffredini
Co-Founder & CEO · Axiom Space
Kyle Zakrzewski
Co-Founder · True Anomaly
Prism market signals · United States · country-scoped Prism corpus, 18,605,293 docs
Market landscape — 10 sub-themes by coverage
Share of Space Tech coverage by sub-theme.
Regulatory-risk over time rising
Funding & growth over time
funding rising · growth rising
RESEARCH SIGNALS · United States
How research on Space Technology is moving in the United States
A read on the academic research around Space Technology — which themes are gaining ground, the institutions and researchers driving them, and how the tone is shifting. Based on 12,440 United States-affiliated papers.
research sentiment over time
200820172026
enthusiastic · positive · guarded tone
Tone is overwhelmingly optimistic and intensifying — the enthusiastic (strongly-positive) share moved 24% → 43% across 2008–2026.
top research entities
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory1596
- Goddard Space Flight Center1527
- Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory733
- Southwest Research Institute555
- University of Colorado Boulder511
leading researchers
McComas, David J. · Hanspeter Schaub · F. Bagenal · W. S. Kŭrth · G. Clark · F. Allegrini · Xiaoxiong Xiong · J. E. P. Connerney
▲
Breakthroughs3,024 · 24%
▲ 21%→26% share
▲1.2× share momentum3 median citations54% since 2021mostly methods-led
CubeSat breakthrough research is surging — papers nearly tripled (87→241), signaling rapid small-satellite innovation.
rising sub-themes (early→recent)
- Spacecraft322→795
- CubeSat87→241
- Aerospace engineering117→257
- Jupiter (rocket family)35→114
- Astrobiology42→117
Newly emergingCoherence (philosophical gambling strategy) 0→18 · Reinforcement learning 0→16 · Kinematics 0→13
Landmark The Solar Probe Plus Mission: Humanity’s First Visit to Our Star · 1,247 cites
◆
Advancements3,980 · 32%
31%→31% share
▲1.0× share momentum2 median citations49% since 2021mostly methods-led
Reinforcement learning newly entered Advancements with 36 papers, marking autonomous spacecraft operations as an emerging priority.
rising sub-themes (early→recent)
- Spacecraft503→980
- Aerospace engineering174→413
- CubeSat118→263
- Satellite60→139
- Space (punctuation)21→95
Newly emergingReinforcement learning 0→36 · Parametric statistics 0→13 · Docking (animal) 0→12
Landmark Nanozyme: new horizons for responsive biomedical applications · 1,696 cites
▼
Concerns1,697 · 14%
▼ 15%→13% share
▼0.9× share momentum2 median citations48% since 2021mostly empirical
Space law newly appeared in Concerns (8 papers), flagging rising regulatory and governance anxieties in U.S. space research.
rising sub-themes (early→recent)
- Spacecraft232→367
- Space (punctuation)42→132
- Astrobiology50→109
- Aerospace engineering76→124
- Space exploration34→78
Newly emergingUranus 0→8 · Space law 0→8 · Very-long-baseline interferometry 0→8
Landmark Two‐Dimensional Nanomaterials for Biomedical Applications: Emerging Trends and Future Prospects · 860 cites
RESEARCH HOTSPOTS · United States
Where space tech is researched across United States
Location clusters by institution affiliation — each city's volume, stance tone, and a quick read on its hot topic, what's advancing, the opening opportunity, and the main concern.
Los Angeles728 · +0.36
Boston613 · +0.40
SF Bay Area479 · +0.33
Ann Arbor270 · +0.48
New York268 · +0.45
Atlanta237 · +0.45
Austin87 · +0.52
Seattle64 · +0.37
Pittsburgh60 · +0.60
San Diego53 · +0.54
PATENT SIGNAL · United States
Who's filing space tech patents in the United States
United States space tech patent filing is accelerating — 7,481 filings from 2,669 assignees (2016–2025), led by Boeing, Raytheon, Honeywell INT; annual filings 518→892.
7,481 filings2,669 assigneespeak 922/yr2016–2025
filing momentum (YoY 2016–2025)
top patent filers
- Boeing1576
- Raytheon365
- Honeywell INT340
- Lockheed325
- Hamilton Sundstrand292
- NASA217
- Northrop Grumman Systems214
- BLUE Origin151
Common questions
How many Space Tech companies are there in United States?
Radar tracks 590 indexable Space Tech companies headquartered in United States that meet our profile-completeness bar.
What is the total funding raised by Space Tech companies in United States?
The Space Tech companies in United States on this list have raised a combined $27.9B in disclosed equity funding across 246 funded companies.
Which is the highest-funded Space Tech company in United States?
SpaceX is the highest-funded Space Tech company in United States, with $11.9B in disclosed equity funding.
How many Space Tech companies in United States are funded?
246 of the 590 Space Tech companies in United States on this list have disclosed at least one equity funding round.
How many Space Tech unicorns are there in United States?
14 Space Tech companies in United States on this list are valued at $1B or more.
Who are the top investors in United States Space Tech companies?
The most active investors in United States Space Tech companies on this list include NASA, Techstars, Y Combinator, Hemisphere Ventures, Space Angels.
Riya SenguptaFinancials
Riya reads income statements for fun. She covers the real money in a sector — revenue, growth, who actually earns — and never met a vague claim she didn't want a number for.