Daniel Saks
Chief Executive Officer
The global space economy hit a record $613 billion in 2024, with the commercial sector accounting for 78% of growth—and a new generation of fast-growing space tech companies is leading the charge. From reusable rockets and lunar landers to in-space manufacturing and satellite mega-constellations, private space companies raised $7.8 billion in 2024 and are transforming what was once a government-only domain into a thriving commercial frontier. For go-to-market teams targeting this explosive sector, identifying the right prospects requires more than basic firmographics. Platforms like Landbase's AI-powered audience discovery leverage 1,500+ unique signals—including funding rounds, hiring surges, and technology stack changes—to pinpoint high-growth companies and their decision-makers in seconds.
SpaceX manufactures and operates the Falcon 9, Falcon Heavy, and Starship launch vehicles, providing commercial and government launch services worldwide. The company also operates Starlink, the world's largest satellite internet constellation with thousands of satellites in low-Earth orbit, and is developing Starship for deep space exploration and Mars colonization.
SpaceX accounts for 87% of U.S. orbital launches in 2024 and proved commercial viability of reusable rockets, reducing launch costs by 10x. The company achieved record operational tempo with 165 launches in 2025 and controls launch, manufacturing, and satellite operations under one roof through unprecedented vertical integration. This market dominance has transformed commercial space access and demonstrated that private companies can outperform traditional government contractors.
Planning IPO potentially mid-2026, seeking $30B+ at $1.5 trillion valuation
Firefly provides small-to-medium satellite launch services with Alpha rocket, develops Blue Ghost lunar lander for Moon missions, and is building Eclipse rocket (16,000kg capacity) with Northrop Grumman. The company offers complete mission services from launch to lunar surface delivery.
Firefly has strong pipeline with NASA and U.S. Space Force, achieving vertical integration across launch vehicles, lunar landers, and orbital vehicles under one roof. The company successfully transitioned from bankruptcy in 2017 to market leader, demonstrating resilience and technical capability. With multiple lunar missions contracted and a growing launch manifest, Firefly represents the new generation of vertically integrated space companies.
Private company with strong venture backing and NASA contracts
Rocket Lab operates the Electron rocket for small satellite launches and is developing Neutron, a medium-lift reusable rocket. The company also manufactures spacecraft (Photon platform), satellite components including star trackers, reaction wheels, separation systems, and solar panels for over 1,000+ spacecraft.
Rocket Lab achieved 21 launches in 2025 with 100% mission success, making it the second-most prolific U.S. launcher. The company secured a $515M Space Development Agency contract for 18 satellites, demonstrating capability beyond just launch services. As an end-to-end space company covering launch, spacecraft, and components manufacturing, Rocket Lab achieved the fastest time to 50 launches in just 7 years, 1 month.
Public company (NASDAQ: RKLB) with strong stock performance in 2024-2025
Intuitive Machines designs and manufactures lunar landers (Nova-C class), provides lunar surface access, navigation systems, and data services for Moon missions. The company is developing lunar terrain vehicles and communications infrastructure for sustained lunar operations.
Intuitive Machines conducted first U.S. Moon landing in 50+ years and first ever commercial lunar landing (IM-1 Odysseus mission, February 2024), establishing itself as a key partner in NASA's Artemis program for America's return to the Moon. The company was selected for TIME's Most Influential Companies List 2024 and is expanding beyond landers to a complete lunar service ecosystem, positioning itself as infrastructure provider for the emerging lunar economy.
Public company (NASDAQ: LUNR); acquired Lanteris Space Systems in $40M deal
Blue Origin develops reusable launch vehicles including New Shepard (suborbital) and New Glenn (orbital heavy-lift). The company provides space tourism experiences, manufactures BE-4 rocket engines for United Launch Alliance, and is developing Blue Moon lunar lander for NASA's Artemis program.
Blue Origin's New Glenn successful debut in January 2025 broke SpaceX's near-monopoly on heavy-lift commercial launches. The company achieved record tourism operations with 9 New Shepard launches in 2025 and serves as critical engine supplier with BE-4 engines powering ULA's Vulcan rocket. With multi-domain capability spanning launch, engines, lunar landers, and space stations, Blue Origin represents the only credible U.S. competitor to SpaceX's launch dominance.
Primarily funded by Jeff Bezos with an estimate of $20 billion in private investment
Relativity Space pioneers 3D-printed rocket manufacturing using proprietary Stargate printers. The company is developing Terran R, a fully reusable medium-lift rocket capable of delivering 23,500 kg to LEO, using AI and robotics to automate rocket production and reduce build time to 60 days vs 2+ years traditional methods.
Relativity Space operates the world's largest 3D metal printer (Stargate) for rocket production, using 100x fewer parts than traditional rockets through AI-driven autonomous manufacturing. Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt joined as Executive Chairman, bringing tech industry expertise to aerospace. The company is planning a commercial Mars mission with Impulse Space targeting 2026, demonstrating ambition beyond Earth orbit.
Secured hundreds of millions in additional capital under new leadership
Axiom Space operates commercial missions to the International Space Station and is constructing Axiom Station, the world's first commercial space station. The company is also developing next-generation spacesuits (AxEMU) for NASA's Artemis Moon program.
Axiom Space is building the commercial replacement for the ISS as NASA transitions from station operations, with first module targeting 2027 launch. The company has proven operational track record with successfully completed 3 crewed ISS missions (Ax-1, Ax-2, Ax-3) and serves as NASA Artemis partner developing spacesuits for Moon missions. Axiom is also exploring orbital data center payloads and new LEO business models for the future.
Partnership with ElevationSpace for re-entry services (October 2025)
Planet operates the largest constellation of Earth-imaging satellites (200+ Dove and SuperDove satellites plus 21 SkySat satellites), providing daily global imagery at resolutions up to 50cm. The company delivers satellite data and analytics to agriculture, defense, mapping, and environmental monitoring sectors.
Planet labs is a company providing complete planetary imaging every day and serves as critical imagery provider to NATO, European Space Agency, U.S. Navy, and NASA. The company pioneered "agile aerospace" rapid satellite deployment approach and secured AI integration partnership with Google on Suncatcher project (AI satellites with TPUs). Planet's stock surged ~400% in 2025 with backlog tripled year-over-year.
Public company (NYSE: PL) with new NATO and European Space Agency contracts
Astranis manufactures small geostationary satellites for dedicated broadband internet coverage. Unlike massive traditional GEO satellites, Astranis builds microGEO satellites (~350kg) providing focused coverage for specific countries/regions at a fraction of traditional cost.
Astranis is disrupting the $1B+ market for traditional GEO satellites with 90% cost reduction through dedicated coverage model offering single-country focus vs shared capacity. The company achieves rapid build time of months vs years for traditional GEO satellites and is pioneering "satellite-as-a-service" business model for governments and telecoms. Employee count grew to 433, representing 10x growth from founding.
Series D led by Andreessen Horowitz and BlackRock
Impulse Space develops orbital maneuvering vehicles (OMVs) for last-mile cargo delivery across LEO, GEO, Moon, and Mars orbits. The company's Mira vehicle provides satellite deployment, orbital transfer, and space logistics services.
Impulse Space was founded by Tom Mueller, SpaceX's founding CTO and former head of propulsion (18+ years at SpaceX), bringing unparalleled rocket expertise. The company enables multi-orbit delivery allowing single launch to serve multiple orbital destinations and is planning first commercial Mars mission in partnership with Relativity Space targeting 2026. Impulse is pioneering the "space tug" market, essential infrastructure for the growing satellite economy.
Backed by Founders Fund, Lux Capital, Space Capital, RTX Ventures
Varda manufactures pharmaceuticals and advanced materials in microgravity, then returns them to Earth in reusable capsules. The company creates products with properties optimized by space conditions, including ultra-pure fiber optics and pharmaceutical compounds impossible to produce on Earth.
Varda became the first operational commercial in-space manufacturer that has successfully returned materials from orbit to Earth. The company focuses on high-value pharmaceuticals and advanced materials with significant Earth-market applications, using reusable return capsule technology critical for commercial viability. Varda is opening entirely new markets by providing economic validation of in-space manufacturing.
Strong backing from Founders Fund, Lux Capital, General Catalyst, Khosla Ventures
Space tech companies secure major funding by demonstrating technical feasibility, strategic partnerships, and clear paths to revenue. Many leverage relationships with government agencies like NASA, the U.S. Space Force, or ESA to de-risk their technology through contracts and partnerships. The sector also benefits from specialized space-focused venture funds like Space Capital, as well as strategic investments from defense contractors and tech giants. Series A and B rounds often focus on scaling proven technology rather than pure R&D.
Emerging space tech startups face significant technical, regulatory, and financial challenges. Technically, they must achieve unprecedented reliability—rocket launches and space missions have little margin for error. Financially, they require massive capital expenditures before generating revenue, with development cycles often spanning years. Regulatory hurdles include ITAR compliance, FCC spectrum licensing, and complex international agreements for global operations. Many also face the "valley of death" between prototype validation and commercial-scale operations.
AI impacts space tech companies across multiple dimensions: for launch providers like Relativity Space, AI drives autonomous manufacturing and 3D printing processes, while Earth observation companies like Planet Labs use AI to analyze massive datasets and extract actionable insights from satellite imagery. AI also optimizes satellite operations from autonomous collision avoidance to intelligent tasking, while mission planning benefits from AI-driven simulation and optimization. The integration of AI has become essential for scaling operations while managing complexity of increasingly sophisticated space systems.
The most active space tech investors include specialized funds like Space Capital and Space Angels, alongside mainstream VCs with dedicated space practices like Andreessen Horowitz, Founders Fund, and Lux Capital. Strategic corporate investors are also prominent, including RTX Ventures (Raytheon), Airbus Ventures, and Porsche SE. Government-backed funds like the NATO Innovation Fund have emerged as significant players, particularly for European startups. The sector has also attracted significant capital from sovereign wealth funds and family offices seeking exposure to this high-growth frontier.
Landbase's platform enables precise targeting of space tech companies through natural-language prompts that leverage real-time signals. You can find companies based on specific criteria like "space tech companies that raised Series B funding in 2025" or "launch providers with active NASA contracts." The platform's 1,500+ signals include funding rounds, hiring patterns, technology stack changes, and conference attendance—all critical indicators in the space sector. Users can export up to 10,000 AI-qualified contacts instantly without requiring a login, making it ideal for building targeted outreach campaigns.
Tool and strategies modern teams need to help their companies grow.
