Mynaric
Mynaric AG manufactured free-space optical communication terminals (CONDOR for space, HAWK for airborne) for US defense primes, the Space Development Agency, and satellite operators. Acquired by Rocket Lab in April 2026 for $155.3M, it now operates as the prime's Munich-based laser communications subsidiary.
- Company typePublic
- Founded2009
- HeadquartersGilching, Germany
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Mynaric does
Mynaric AG was a German manufacturer of laser communication equipment specializing in free-space optical communications terminals for air, space, and ground applications. Founded in 2009 by former German Aerospace Centre (DLR) employees and headquartered in Munich/Gilching, the company built its core products — the CONDOR Mk3 (and successor Mk3.1) for satellite-to-satellite and satellite-to-ground optical links, the HAWK terminal for airborne applications, and supporting optical ground stations — around proprietary beam-pointing and tracking technology capable of up to 10 Gbps data rates without spectrum licensing. Mynaric was first to demonstrate compliance with the US Space Development Agency's Optical Inter-Satellite Link (OISL) standard, a qualification that secured its position on the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture (PWSA) Tranche 1 programs as a subcontractor to Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, Loft Federal, and Rocket Lab.
The company monetized primarily through long-cycle, quote-based B2B hardware sales to defense primes and government agencies, supplemented by commercial satellite operator contracts (WARPSPACE, Telesat Government Solutions, ReOrbit) and emerging European sovereign communications work (IRIS² consortium, ESA HydRON). L3Harris Technologies held a 7.2% strategic stake acquired in July 2022, signaling defense prime validation. After a 2017 Frankfurt IPO and a 2021 US Nasdaq listing that together raised roughly $96 million, Mynaric encountered production-quality setbacks on CONDOR Mk3 in 2024, leading to leadership turnover, multiple bridge loans, Nasdaq delisting, and a StaRUG restructuring in August 2025 that eliminated existing equity. Rocket Lab completed its acquisition of Mynaric on April 14, 2026 for $155.3 million, integrating the company as a Munich-headquartered subsidiary and the prime's first European footprint.
Mynaric firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Mynaric
- Legal name
- Mynaric AG
- Website
- https://mynaric.com
- Company type
- Public
- Founded year
- 2009
- Operating status
- Acquired
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- Mynaric AG manufactured free-space optical communication terminals (CONDOR for space, HAWK for airborne) for US defense primes, the Space Development Agency, and satellite operators. Acquired by Rocket Lab in April 2026 for $155.3M, it now operates as the prime's Munich-based laser communications subsidiary.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Mynaric industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Laser Communication Equipment
- NAICS
- Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical, and Nautical System and Instrument Manufacturing (334511), Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Manufacturing (336414), Other Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Parts and Auxiliary Equipment Manufacturing (336419)
- SIC
- Search, Detection, Navagation, Guidance, Aeronautical Sys (3812), Guided Missiles & Space Vehicles & Parts (3760)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Avionics Communication Systems (VHF/UHF/SATCOM/Data Link) (IMABAFAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Space Payloads & Instruments (Sensors, Comms, EO/IR) (IMABACAD), Military Space Systems (Defense Spacecraft) (IMABACAC), Satellite Broadband Terminals & Gateways (VSAT/LEO CPE) (HDAFAIAM)
Keywords
Where Mynaric is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Gilching
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices4 records
Markets served
Mynaric business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Laser Communication Terminal Sales: Sale of optical communications terminals including CONDOR Mk3 for space applications and HAWK for airborne applications to government and commercial customers. Primarily long-term contracts with defense contractors and satellite operators.
- Defense/Government Contracts: Contracts with US government agencies including Space Development Agency, defense primes like Northrop Grumman and Raytheon for satellite communication terminals.
- Commercial Satellite Constellation Programs: Sales to commercial satellite operators for mega-constellation deployments including interoperability with SDA standards.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Mynaric product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Mynaric designs, manufactures, and sells industrialized laser communication terminals (free-space optical communications equipment) for high-speed, secure wireless data transmission between space-to-space, space-to-ground, air-to-ground, and air-to-air platforms. Its flagship products include the CONDOR family of space terminals and the HAWK airborne terminal, supplied to defense primes, government agencies, and commercial satellite operators for LEO constellation deployments.
Product overview
Mynaric produces industrialized, cost-effective, and scalable laser communications products for air, space, and ground applications. The product portfolio centers on the CONDOR family of optical communications terminals for satellite constellations (space domain) and the HAWK product line for airborne platforms. Supporting infrastructure includes optical ground stations for space-to-ground links. CONDOR Mk3 serves as the flagship space terminal in volume production, with CONDOR Mk3.1 under development as the next-generation variant. The company has delivered 100+ terminals for defense programs and is a key supplier to U.S. government space programs including the Space Development Agency's Tranche 1 and Tranche 2 Transport Layer programs.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- CONDOR Mk3: Flaghip free-space optical communications terminal for space-to-space and space-to-ground applications
- CONDOR Mk2
- HAWK
Quantifiable outcome
- Data transmission speeds up to 10 Gbps
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Mynaric
Customer profileNamed customers13 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Mynaric technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability2 records
Feature5 records
Mynaric partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
16 partnerships are on record, tiered core, secondary and minor.
- Rocket LabcoreRocket Lab completed acquisition of Mynaric for $155.3 million in April 2026. Mynaric was already a key subcontractor supplying CONDOR Mk3 terminals for Rocket Lab's $1.3 billion SDA contracts. Acquisition establishes Rocket Lab's first European footprint.
- European Space Agency (ESA) - HydRONsecondarySelected for ESA HydRON User Segment Demonstration Activities under Element 3 - European quantum communications infrastructure.
- ReOrbitminorReOrbit selected CONDOR Mk3 for space-to-space and space-to-ground laser communications demonstration.
- DARPAcoreSelected as key development partner for Phase 2 of Space-based adaptive communications node (Space-BACN) program. Previously Phase 1 participant developing benchtop model of next-generation optical communications terminal.
- Raytheon TechnologiescoreSelected to supply optical communications terminals for SDA Tranche 1 Tracking Layer program alongside Raytheon. Part of major US government space defense initiatives.
- Loft Federal (Loft Orbital)secondaryDefinitive agreement for sale of CONDOR Mk3 terminals to support SDA's Experimental Testbed (NExT) program.
- DARPA (Space-BACN Phase 1)corePhase 1 goal to develop benchtop model of next-generation optical communications terminal for proliferated space domain. Downselected to 7 contractors in Phase 2 from initial 11 in Phase 1.
- L3Harris TechnologiescoreStrategic investment of approximately EUR 11.2 million granting L3Harris a 7.2% stake in Mynaric. Collaboration scope expanded from airborne domain to cover space, air, maritime, and ground domains. Includes collaboration privileges in testing and deployment of laser communication assets.
- Airbus U.S. Space & DefensesecondaryContract for laser communication demonstration on ISS Bartolomeo platform to demonstrate Mynaric's laser communication product on the International Space Station.
- European Space Agency (ESA)secondarySelected to investigate optical technologies for next generation high-throughput optical inter-satellite links. Program working towards 1 Terabit per second data transmission speeds.
- UN:IO ConsortiumsecondaryMynaric-co-led consortium selected by European Commission for initial work on independent European satellite communications constellation (IRIS²).
- Northrop GrummancoreMulti-year strategic agreement identifying Mynaric as a strategic supplier for laser communication in the space domain. Multiple contracts awarded including $36M, $25M, and $33M orders for CONDOR terminals supporting SDA programs.
- Telesat Government SolutionssecondaryDeal for CONDOR laser communication terminals for DARPA's Blackjack satellite program. Included establishment of industry's first laser communication interoperability lab.
- SpaceLinksecondaryMulti-million dollar deal for optical communications terminals and partnership for expansion of product portfolio including OISL terminals for MEO satellites.
- CEA LetisecondaryExclusive partnership with French research institute positioning Mynaric as prime supplier for constellation networks with several hundred interconnected aircraft, drones and satellites.
- Airborne Wireless NetworkminorMOU and later design/manufacturing services agreement for laser terminal flight units for airborne wireless network demonstration using commercial aircraft as network nodes.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Mynaric competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Tesat-Spacecom: German-headquartered direct competitor in space-grade laser communication terminals, supplying inter-satellite links to government and commercial programs (including DLR/ESA heritage). Closest functional peer to Mynaric in free-space optical communications for space.
- CACI International: Competing supplier of optical communications terminals for the Space Development Agency's Tranche programs. Directly comparable as a rival bidder for proliferated LEO OISL contracts.
Broad incumbents
- L3Harris Technologies: Major US defense prime that is both a Mynaric strategic shareholder (7.2% stake since 2022) and a broader supplier of space and communications systems. Comparable because it pursues similar optical communications and SDA-adjacent opportunities across space, air, maritime, and ground domains.
- Ball Aerospace (Booz Allen Hamilton / BAE Systems space portfolio): Established US space hardware manufacturer with a portfolio spanning optical payloads, spacecraft components, and communications subsystems. Comparable as a wider aerospace prime pursuing adjacent optical/laser comm opportunities.
- Honeywell Aerospace: Large diversified aerospace and defense supplier with optical communications R&D (e.g., Honeywell's laser comm terminal programs). Comparable as a broader incumbent with overlapping free-space optical communications capabilities.
- Thales Alenia Space: European space prime building satellite platforms and communications payloads, including optical inter-satellite link technology. Comparable because it operates across the same European IRIS² / ESA value chain that Mynaric addresses.
- Airbus Defence and Space: European aerospace prime and direct counterparty in Mynaric's ISS Bartolomeo demonstration partnership. Comparable as a large incumbent building sovereign satellite communications and optical payloads.
Emerging players
- General Atomics: Selected by SDA for optical communications terminal supply and broader space payloads. A peer because it competes for the same Tranche-layer contract dollars that drive Mynaric's revenue.
- BridgeComm: US-based specialist in free-space optical communications and optical ground stations. Comparable as a smaller, focused optical comm peer serving adjacent commercial and government segments.
Others
- Rocket Lab: Parent company of Mynaric since April 2026 and previously its largest customer via SDA prime contracts. Listed for context as the acquirer and the vertically integrated platform through which Mynaric's terminals reach orbit.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Mynaric social profiles
Digital presenceMynaric financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Mynaric leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
Mynaric funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds15 records
Investors7 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Mynaric M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Mynaric
What does Mynaric do?
Mynaric designs, manufactures, and sells industrialized laser communication terminals (free-space optical communications equipment) for high-speed, secure wireless data transmission between space-to-space, space-to-ground, air-to-ground, and air-to-air platforms. Its flagship products include the CONDOR family of space terminals and the HAWK airborne terminal, supplied to defense primes, government agencies, and commercial satellite operators for LEO constellation deployments.
Is Mynaric a public or private company?
Mynaric is a public company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently acquired.
When was Mynaric founded?
Mynaric was founded in 2009. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Mynaric based?
Mynaric is headquartered in Gilching, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does Mynaric make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Laser Communication Terminal Sales are the primary driver. The others are defense/Government Contracts and commercial Satellite Constellation Programs.
Who are Mynaric's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Tesat-Spacecom and CACI International. Broad incumbents are L3Harris Technologies, Ball Aerospace (Booz Allen Hamilton / BAE Systems space portfolio), Honeywell Aerospace, Thales Alenia Space and Airbus Defence and Space. Emerging players are General Atomics and BridgeComm. Rocket Lab is listed as an others.
Does Mynaric have an API?
No public API is recorded for Mynaric.
What industry is Mynaric in?
Mynaric's product category is Laser Communication Equipment. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMABAFAG, Avionics Communication Systems (VHF/UHF/SATCOM/Data Link), with a secondary code of IMABACAD, Space Payloads & Instruments (Sensors, Comms, EO/IR). Its NAICS code is 334511 and its SIC code is 3812.