• Spaceflux raised £5.4M (approximately $7.2 million) in seed funding to expand its global optical telescope network and scale its AI-driven space situational awareness technologies for 24/7 tracking of satellites and debris.

• The funding round, backed by UKI2S, Foresight Group, and Blackfinch Ventures, positions Spaceflux as a key provider of orbital safety data for commercial, governmental, and defence customers.

• With strong UK government support, Spaceflux intends to address rising concerns over orbital congestion, debris, and space security through independently verified, sovereign tracking infrastructure.

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PRESS RELEASE — Spaceflux, headquartered in London, has successfully closed a £5.4 million (€6.2 million) seed funding round, enabling the company to fast-track the growth of its proprietary global telescope network and push forward innovative space situational awareness (SSA) technologies. The funding comes as calls grow for stronger commercial and sovereign space surveillance capabilities, with recent reports warning that a one-week disruption to satellite navigation could cost the UK economy £7.6 billion.

The funding round, co-led by the UK Innovation & Science Seed Fund (UKI2S) (managed by Future Planet Capital), Foresight Group, and Blackfinch Ventures, positions Spaceflux to deliver on its ambitious growth plans. The company has also benefited from early support through the Seraphim Space Accelerator as it seeks to strengthen a vital space safety capability that supports government and commercial missions in a rapidly evolving orbital environment.

Spaceflux, founded in 2022, has emerged as a key player in the space surveillance and tracking domain thanks to its proprietary AI-driven analytics and cutting-edge optical sensor systems. Initially providing data and insights on activity in the geostationary orbit to the UK Space Agency and the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD), the firm has quickly positioned itself as a trusted partner in the broader international space ecosystem.

The company’s ground-based optical sensors track satellites and debris across all orbits, uniquely combining visible and Short-Wave Infrared (SWIR) imaging, enabling daylight tracking and characterisation of space objects, which expands the observation window beyond night-time operations, delivering true 24/7 coverage.

Space situational awareness services have become increasingly relevant as both governmental and commercial space actors face growing concerns over orbital crowding, untracked debris and potential adversarial interference. The new capital will enable Spacefux to scale its global sensor network, upgrade its flagship Cortex analytics platform and expand commercial delivery of its tracking services to satellite operators, insurers and government agencies worldwide.

Marco Rocchetto, CEO and co-founder of Spaceflux stated, “As space becomes increasingly essential to our economy, environment and daily lives, it is also becoming more congested and contested. This investment strengthens our ability to protect satellite technology that delivers crucial insights to Earth around the clock, reducing collision risks, and supporting a safer, more sustainable space environment for future generations”.

Alex Leigh, Investment Director Defence & Security, UKI2S (managed by Future Planet Capital) commented on the raise: “This investment marks a significant step in the convergence of defence and space, where dual-use technologies are becoming increasingly important to UK capability. Backed by both the UK Space Agency and MOD (Defence & Security Seed – D2S), we are delighted to be leading this round as it underlines the growing importance of resilient, space-based infrastructure.

“Spaceflux’s technology offers critical insights to help monitor and safeguard orbital assets – supporting both national security and the wider commercial ecosystem. The company is well positioned to scale its impact and meet the needs of customers navigating an increasingly complex space environment.”

Rubina Singh, Senior Investment Manager at Foresight Group: “We’re excited to support the Spaceflux team in scaling their breakthrough technology to new markets. Spaceflux is taking on a vital role in safeguarding space assets we all rely on such as satellites, while delivering strategically important space awareness insights for commercial and national security needs. We’ve been impressed by the ambitious team, the AI-powered scalable platform, and rapid commercial growth since launching in 2022 and look forward to working together for years ahead.”

Kimberley Hay, Ventures Director at Blackfinch, added: “Spaceflux really impressed us with its collective experience and expertise in space safety. Many people don’t realise how much our everyday lives depend on space infrastructure. From navigation and communications to weather forecasting and streaming media, space plays a critical role.”

As demand grows for trusted, sovereign space surveillance, Spaceflux is better positioned than ever to deliver the infrastructure, data and decision-making tools needed to keep satellites safe and ensure long-term sustainability in space. With seed investment successfully secured, the company’s full focus is on leading global efforts to reduce space congestion and improve orbital safety through independently verified, AI-powered tracking solutions.

Additional quote for consideration from the UK Space Agency:

Dr Craig Brown, Investment Director at the UK Space Agency, said: “Through our participation in the UKI2S Space Fund, we’ve been able to support Spaceflux and help them attract additional investment to accelerate development of their innovative capabilities.

“Spaceflux’s growth as a leader in space situational awareness is impressive. Their approach to tracking satellites across all orbits delivers exactly the cutting-edge capability needed to tackle growing orbital congestion and space security challenges.

“As space becomes increasingly vital to our economy and daily lives, companies like Spaceflux are crucial partners in ensuring safe and sustainable operations in this critical domain.”

About Spaceflux

Founded in 2022, Spaceflux is a UK-based space technology company specialising in Space Domain Awareness (SDA) and Space Traffic Management (STM). Using a proprietary global network of optical sensors and its AI-powered analytics platform Cortex, Spaceflux provides advanced tracking and characterisation of space objects to support satellite operators, insurers, and government clients in preventing collisions, protecting their assets, and ensuring long-term orbital security. Since 2023, Spaceflux has become the exclusive provider of geostationary satellite tracking for the UK MoD and UK Space Agency. The firm is committed to advancing SSA and SDA technologies, while promoting responsible and sustainable use of the orbital environment to secure humanity’s future in space.

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• Spaceflux has won lucrative contracts with UK Space Command and the UK Space Agency.
• Spaceflux will provide tracking data about satellites in geostationary orbit (GEO) and to build a new, national, ground-based SDA sensor in Cyprus.
• In addition to awarding these contracts, UK Space Command and the UKSA will launch the National Space Operations Centre (NSPOC) next year.

PRESS RELEASE — Belfast / November 22, 2023 — A UK space technology company focused on providing Space Domain Awareness (SDA) services based on high-quality optical data from its proprietary global network of optical sensors has won lucrative contracts with UK Space Command and the UK Space Agency.

The contracts have been awarded to London headquartered Spaceflux to provide tracking data about satellites in geostationary orbit (GEO) and to build a new, national, ground-based SDA sensor in Cyprus.

The satellite tracking data will be acquired using Spaceflux’s global optical sensor network with 10 unique locations across 5 continents. The data will be used by the UK Space Agency (UKSA) and Space Command to monitor various satellites in geostationary orbit and to protect UK space assets from collisions and adversarial actions.

Spaceflux was set up in 2022 with the aim of leveraging their ground-based telescopes, in combination with a unique AI-driven analytics platform, to tackle the problem of space congestion in view of rising satellite deployment. The company will use its expertise to build, maintain, and routinely operate the commissioned sensor, which will be tasked by UK Space Agency and UK Space Command analysts from the UK Space Operations Centre at RAF High Wycombe. The sensor, a part of Project Nyx Alpha, will monitor objects in GEO, approximately 36,000km above Earth’s equator, with its primary mission being the provision of information on UK satellites, helping to prevent collisions and protect critical space assets. The system has also been designed to allow for the sharing of data with partner organisations and international allies, improving the UK’s contribution to strategic space relationships, and increasing opportunities for collaboration in the space domain.

The contract award was announced on stage at the UK Space Conference in Belfast by Air Vice-Marshal Paul Godfrey, Commander of UK Space Command, who stated:

“Space Domain Awareness underpins our ability to protect and defend UK and allied interests in space. The UK has critical assets in geostationary orbit, and Project Nyx Alpha will help us to monitor them more closely.  

“It is great to see that UK Space Command and the UK Space Agency are working with some of the most innovative UK space companies to develop our nation’s space capabilities.”

The location and elevation of the sensor site in Cyprus makes best use of geography available to the UK and allows a better view of the geostationary orbit than sites on the UK mainland. These procurements will play a key role in helping UK Space Command protect and defend UK interests in space, including SKYNET, the UK’s world-leading family of military communications satellites.

The CEO of the UK Space Agency, Dr Paul Bate, joined Air Vice-marshal Godfrey at the announcement, underlining the joint procurement from UK Space Command and the UK Space Agency. Dr Paul Bate said:

“As our reliance on satellites for everyday activity grows and the UK becomes a hub of small satellite design, manufacturing, and launch, we are at the forefront of ensuring a safe and secure space environment.

“But with more than 8,000 operational satellites and more than 30,000 pieces of trackable debris, the ability to operate safely in space is growing increasingly challenging. Operating a sensor in Cyprus enhances our vital national capability to track objects in space to help avoid collisions and protect the satellites we depend on.

“This procurement marks a significant development in bringing together the capabilities of both the UK Space Agency and UK Space Command and achieving maximum value for UK taxpayers.”

In addition to awarding these contracts, UK Space Command and the UKSA will launch the National Space Operations Centre (NSPOC) next year. Both projects will fulfil elements of the National Space Strategy, and the supporting Defence Space Strategy, both of which highlight SDA as a key civil and defence space capability priority.

On the important milestone for Spaceflux, Founder and CEO Dr Marco Rocchetto stated:

 “Space Domain Awareness is vital for the safety and security of in-orbit assets and is becoming increasingly foundational in space operations. Spaceflux has developed solutions, which guarantee timeliness, reliability, and accuracy of SDA systems.

“As a company based in London, we’re thrilled and deeply proud to support the Space Agency and UK Space Command in enhancing this sovereign capability, protecting the safety of our national space assets, and promoting a secure and sustainable space environment. These contracts will not only allow us to further advance our technologies, but also contribute to the growth of the UK space ecosystem.”

As part of Spaceflux’s mission to build the most advanced optical sensor network for SDA in the world, the company currently operates 10 satellite tracking ground-stations, including Australia, Hawaii and Chile. The company intends to expand to 15 more locations throughout 2024, enabling them to deliver a remarkable increase in daily observations, offering global coverage, unparalleled accuracy, and reliability of data, and ultimately making space a safer place for everyone.

Contact Information:

Daniel Smith, daniel@astroagency.co.uk or telephone +44(0)790 952 3004.

SOURCE: Spaceflux

Featured image: Space debris. Credit: Spaceflux

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