Solstar Space Company

What Solstar Space Company does

Solstar Space Company is a privately held space communications hardware and services company founded in 2017 by M. Brian Barnett and headquartered in Santa Fe, New Mexico, with a product development lab in Albuquerque. The company designs and builds radiation-hardened WiFi access points and bi-directional space communicators — the narrowband Deke Space Communicator and the wideband Slayton Space Communicator — that integrate into smallsats, launch vehicles, and space stations prior to launch. Its core technical architecture leverages existing commercial satellite constellations, notably Iridium, to route local WiFi signals through an orbiting network, enabling persistent 24/7 two-way voice, data, and video connectivity for spacecraft and lunar assets without reliance on intermittent ground-station passes.

The company operates a hybrid revenue model combining hardware sales of its space communicators and WiFi APs, recurring subscription-style communications services, and non-dilutive U.S. government SBIR contracts from NASA, U.S. Space Force/AFWERX, and DARPA. A three-year reciprocal services agreement with Momentus Inc. valued at up to $15 million anchors the commercial side, embedding Solstar hardware aboard Momentus Vigoride orbital service vehicles serving DARPA, U.S. Space Force, and commercial payload customers. Solstar targets four primary segments: commercial space (private stations, tourism, on-orbit manufacturing), government space agencies (NASA, international), U.S. government and aerospace (Space Force, Air Force, primes), and consumer/entertainment. Go-to-market is direct enterprise field sales supplemented by OEM-embedded distribution through partners such as Momentus and Blue Origin.

The company employs 11–50 staff, holds AS9100 certification, has been accessioned into the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum collection for its Schmitt Space Communicator, and achieved the first commercial WiFi hotspot and tweet from space aboard Blue Origin's New Shepard in 2018. The Deke Space Communicator reached orbit on SpaceX Transporter-16 via Momentus in March 2026 and was verified operating nominally the following month, marking the transition from suborbital demonstrations to commercial on-orbit service.

Name

Solstar Space Company

Legal name

Solstar Space Company

Website

https://solstarspace.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Solstar Space Company develops radiation-hardened WiFi access points and bi-directional Deke (narrowband) and Slayton (wideband) space communicators that provide persistent connectivity for spacecraft, smallsats, and lunar assets via the Iridium constellation. The company, founded in 2017 in Santa Fe, New Mexico, serves NASA, U.S. Space Force, DARPA, and commercial space operators.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Space Communications Hardware

NAICS

Satellite Telecommunications (51741)

SIC

Computer Communications Equipment (3576), Communications Services, Nec (4899)

akta.pro primary industry

Enterprise Satellite Connectivity & Managed Services (VSAT, SD-WAN over Satcom) (HDAIAJAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Satellite Broadband Terminals & Gateways (VSAT/LEO CPE) (HDAFAIAM)

Keywords

• Space-based communications
• Satellite communications hardware
• Radiation-hardened WiFi
• Orbital data relay services
• Lunar communications infrastructure

Headquarters

HQ city

Santa Fe

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Hardware Sales - Space Communicators and WiFi Access Points: Sale of proprietary space-grade communications hardware including Deke Space Communicator and Slayton Space Communicator. Devices are installed on satellites and spacecraft prior to launch.
2. Space Communications Services: Recurring service subscriptions providing 24/7 communications link between Earth-based operators and space-based assets. Flexible service plans including narrowband and broadband internet and WiFi options. Voice, data, and video services enabled.
3. U.S. Government SBIR Contracts: Phase I and Phase II Small Business Innovation Research contracts from NASA, U.S. Space Force, AFWERX. Contract values typically $150,000 for Phase I and $1.25 million for Phase II.
4. Reciprocal Services Agreement with Momentus: Three-year reciprocal services agreement valued at up to $15 million for advanced space-based communications products and services combined with Momentus logistics and deployment services.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Solstar Space Company designs, manufactures, and sells radiation-hardened space-based WiFi and communications hardware, including the Deke Space Communicator (narrowband bi-directional data relay), the Slayton Space Communicator (wideband high-speed data relay), and WiFi Access Points for spacecraft and lunar environments. The hardware integrates with commercial satellite constellations (Iridium) and is complemented by persistent narrowband and broadband communications services enabling 24/7 bi-directional connectivity for satellite operators, government agencies, and commercial space missions in LEO, cislunar, and lunar surface environments.

Product overview

Solstar Space Company offers a unified portfolio of space-based connectivity solutions comprising hardware devices and managed services. The product line includes WiFi Access Points (radiation hardened wireless nodes for spacecraft and lunar operations), the Deke Space Communicator (narrowband data relay for IoT/payload management), and the Slayton Space Communicator (broadband high-speed data relay for video and large data transfers). These are complemented by Persistent Space Communications Services providing 24/7 network connectivity. The devices are installed on satellites and spacecraft prior to launch and leverage commercial satellite constellations for global coverage, enabling customers to interact with space assets via Azure IoT Hub or web interface.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Deke Space Communicator: Narrowband Bi-Directional Critical Data Relay for IoT, medical monitoring, remote command and control of spacecraft, and payload management.
• Slayton Space Communicator
• Solstar Space WiFi Access Points

Products and services

• Solstar WiFi Access Points Radiation-hardened WiFi access points designed for space-based operations, providing seamless wireless communications throughout spacecraft, lunar rovers, landers, space stations, habitats, and space suits. Engineered for low Size, Weight, and Power (SWaP) and customizable to mission-criticality needs.
• Deke Space Communicator Narrowband bi-directional critical data relay device for IoT in space, persistent medical monitoring of astronauts, remote command and control of spacecraft, and management of on-orbit payloads. Integrates into SmallSats, launch vehicles, and space stations prior to launch and leverages the Iridium commercial satellite constellation for global coverage.
• Slayton Space Communicator Broadband bi-directional critical data relay providing 24/7 bi-directional high-speed internet connection with on-orbit assets. Enables download of large amounts of data, remote command and control of space-based assets, video calls and communications from space, and networking of satellites, spacecraft, and space stations.
• Solstar Persistent Space Communications Services Network and communications services providing a 24/7 link between Earth-based operators and satellites. Supports voice, data, and video services, spacecraft-to-spacecraft communications, and flexible service plans including broadband and narrowband internet and WiFi options.
• Lunar Wi-Fi Access Point (LWIFI-AP) Space-rated, multi-mode, multi-protocol, multi-band wireless access point designed for extreme lunar conditions. Enables robust communications between astronauts, robotic systems, lunar vehicles, lunar surface-based and cislunar orbital assets. Supports real-time mission data flow, navigation, and scientific collaboration.

Quantifiable outcome

• Reduces spacecraft communication blackout periods by enabling continuous 24/7 connectivity via commercial satellite constellations
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and flagship.

• Iridium CommunicationscoreTechnology or Integration · 30 March 2026Solstar's Deke Space Communicator leverages Iridium's satellite constellation for global narrowband connectivity. The local WiFi connection routes signals through Iridium's constellation providing transmit and receive capabilities at any point on orbit, enabling 24/7 connectivity.
• Momentus Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 October 2025Three-year reciprocal services agreement valued at up to $15 million. Solstar provides advanced space-based communications products and services (Deke Narrowband Space Communicators, Slayton Wideband Space Communicators, WiFi systems, data services). Momentus provides logistics, launch, payload deployment and on-orbit services aboard Vigoride Orbital Service Vehicles. Supports ISTAR, ISAM, and RPOD missions for commercial, government, and space agency clients.
• Momentus Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 March 2025Strategic partnership agreement for on-demand connectivity demonstration. First on-orbit demonstration of Solstar's Deke Space Communicator scheduled on SpaceX Transporter rideshare mission in early 2026. Enables customers to communicate on-demand with systems aboard spacecraft using commercial satellite constellations instead of costly ground-based services.
• Blue OriginminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 23 July 2024Solstar payload flights aboard Blue Origin New Shepard suborbital rockets. Company's WiFi technology demonstrated on multiple New Shepard missions including first commercial tweet from above Kármán line in 2018. WiFi testing conducted for crew capsule communications.
• MicrosoftflagshipTechnology or Integration · 9 May 2022Selected as Microsoft for Startups Partner. Company plans to leverage Azure IoT Hub to enable customers to interact with assets in space via API or web interface. Solstar Space VPN will utilize Azure for infrastructure. Access to Microsoft Founders Hub technology, guidance, and support.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• Kepler Communications: Kepler operates a LEO satellite data-relay network (Aether) providing on-orbit connectivity to other spacecraft. Most direct comparable to Solstar's Deke/Slayton space communicators — both target persistent spacecraft-to-ground communications without ground stations.
• Addvalue Innovation: Addvalue's WideInterLink and on-orbit relay products deliver inter-satellite and spacecraft-to-ground communications, directly overlapping with Solstar's bi-directional data relay use cases for SmallSats and launch vehicles.

Emerging players

• Astranis: Astranis builds small GEO satellites for dedicated connectivity services. While a different orbit and approach, both companies target providing persistent communications infrastructure for underserved or specialized space customers.
• Hubble Network: Hubble provides satellite IoT and Bluetooth-to-satellite connectivity for global device tracking. Comparable in the space-based narrowband data relay category Solstar addresses with its Deke communicator and IoT use cases.
• Swarm Technologies (SpaceX): Swarm offers low-cost satellite IoT connectivity and is now part of SpaceX's Direct-to-Cell program. Overlaps with Solstar's narrowband IoT-from-space proposition and shares the use of commercial LEO constellations for ubiquitous connectivity.
• Kymeta: Kymeta makes flat-panel satellite broadband terminals (u8) for ground and mobile applications. Comparable as a satellite communications hardware vendor, though primarily ground-side rather than space-based like Solstar.

Broad incumbents

• Iridium Communications: Iridium operates the L-band satellite constellation that Solstar's Deke communicator uses for global narrowband connectivity. The underlying space segment provider and a broader incumbent in satellite voice/data services for specialized markets.
• Viasat: Viasat is a large satellite broadband operator serving defense, aviation and enterprise markets. Broad incumbent whose enterprise satellite connectivity portfolio overlaps with Solstar's managed services positioning for government and aerospace customers.

Others

• Momentus: Momentus is Solstar's core commercial partner and customer via the up-to-$15M reciprocal services agreement and Vigoride platform. Not a competitor but a closely adjacent orbital services company, useful as a comparable for the in-space services business model Solstar plugs into.
• Axiom Space: Axiom is developing commercial space stations and crewed missions — a target customer for Solstar's WiFi APs and Slayton communications. Useful as a representative downstream buyer in the commercial space station segment Solstar is selling into.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/SolstarOFFICIAL
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCclRcgdwYsy-4qkh10143Qw/videos
• Facebookfacebook.com/SolstarSpace
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/solstar-space-company
• Instagraminstagram.com/solstarspaceofficial

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds6 records

Investors6 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Solstar Space Company