Tendeg
Tendeg is a Louisville, Colorado-based aerospace manufacturer that designs and produces deployable antenna systems and precision space structures for U.S. national security agencies, defense prime contractors, commercial satellite operators, and NASA scientific missions.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2016
- HeadquartersLouisville, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Tendeg does
Tendeg is a Louisville, Colorado-based aerospace engineering and manufacturing company founded in 2016 that designs, prototypes, produces, and delivers deployable antenna systems and precision space structures. Its product portfolio comprises five core lines: large aperture mesh reflectors, small aperture reflectors, axially fired (helical) antennas, supporting components (gimbals, feeds, booms, control electronics), and advanced precision surface structures (thermal shields and optical/RF occulters). Tendeg's underlying technology stack combines proprietary mesh-knitting and cord-braiding processes, in-house environmental testing (thermal vacuum, vibration, deployment testing), and a vertically integrated manufacturing model, with demonstrated capabilities including 30-micron deployment repeatability for precision surfaces and a 100% on-orbit deployment success rate across 25+ flown systems.
The company sells directly to enterprise and government customers under quote-based, mission-specific pricing, with no public list pricing and no disclosed intermediaries. Its go-to-market is enterprise field sales targeting national security agencies, defense prime contractors (Lockheed Martin), commercial satellite operators (Capella Space, Astranis), and government scientific programs (NASA). Named customer engagements include 10+ deployed reflectors plus a repeat order of 12 additional large aperture antennas from Capella Space for the Acadia-class SAR constellation, deployable Ka-band antennas for NASA's INCUS mission, high-performance antennas for Lockheed Martin's TacSat program, advanced deployable antennas for Astranis's Omega-class bus, and deployable apertures for U.S. Department of War national security space programs. The company operates from a 120,000–160,000 sq ft purpose-built Innovation Drive manufacturing facility in Louisville, Colorado, with a stated production capacity target of 100+ deployable apertures annually.
Tendeg is a private, founder-led LLC. Ownership and investor structure are not publicly disclosed, and no venture or private equity funding rounds appear in the available data. The company employs 101–250 people, holds AS9100 aerospace quality certification (December 2025), and has pending patents covering its deployable antenna and structure technologies. Strategic momentum is evidenced by the August 2025 completion of the new production facility, the July 2025 Capella Space repeat order, and 2026 deliveries tied to both NASA INCUS milestones and the first flight antenna produced at the Innovation Drive facility.
Tendeg firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Tendeg
- Legal name
- Tendeg LLC
- Website
- https://tendeg.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2016
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Tendeg is a Louisville, Colorado-based aerospace manufacturer that designs and produces deployable antenna systems and precision space structures for U.S. national security agencies, defense prime contractors, commercial satellite operators, and NASA scientific missions.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Tendeg industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Deployable Space Antennas and Aerospace Structures
- NAICS
- Other Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Parts and Auxiliary Equipment Manufacturing (336419), Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical, and Nautical System and Instrument Manufacturing (334511)
- SIC
- Guided Missiles & Space Vehicles & Parts (3760), Search, Detection, Navagation, Guidance, Aeronautical Sys (3812)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Space Payloads & Instruments (Sensors, Comms, EO/IR) (IMABACAD)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Space Structures, Mechanisms & Thermal Control (IMABACAF)
Keywords
Where Tendeg is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Louisville
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Tendeg business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Deployable Antenna Sales: Sale of flight-proven deployable antenna systems including large aperture reflectors, small aperture reflectors, and axially fired antennas to commercial and government customers.
- Component and Subsystem Sales: Sale of supporting components including gimbals, feeds, boom mechanisms, and control electronics that can be delivered independently or integrated into complete antenna systems.
- Advanced Structure Sales: Precision surface products including thermal shields and optical/RF occulters for demanding space environment applications.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
Tendeg product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Tendeg designs, prototypes, manufactures, and tests deployable antenna systems and precision space structures for satellite and spacecraft missions. Its product portfolio includes large and small aperture mesh reflectors, axially fired (helical) antennas, supporting components (gimbals, feeds, booms, control electronics), and advanced precision surface structures (thermal shields and optical/RF occulters), all built and qualified in-house at its Louisville, Colorado facility.
Product overview
Tendeg is a hardware company specializing in deployable antennas and structures for space applications. The product portfolio includes five core offerings: Large Aperture Reflectors and Small Aperture Reflectors (high-gain precision RF mesh reflectors for various satellite missions), Components (supporting subsystems including gimbals, feeds, booms, and control electronics), Axially Fired Antennas (for feeds, directional communication, and sensing), and Advanced Structures/Precision Surfaces (thermal shields and optical/RF occulters for demanding space environments). These products are designed and manufactured in-house at their Innovation Drive facility in Louisville, Colorado, serving national security and commercial space programs.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Large Aperture Reflectors High-gain, precision RF mesh reflector systems for Earth sensing, communications, and advanced geospatial intelligence missions across LEO, GEO, cislunar, and beyond platforms. Sold to commercial satellite operators (e.g., Capella Space) and government/defense customers.
- Small Aperture Reflectors
Quantifiable outcome
- 100% deployment and mission success rate across 25+ flown systems
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Tendeg
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Tendeg technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Tendeg partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Blue Canyon TechnologiescoreBlue Canyon Technologies provides spacecraft platforms for NASA's INCUS mission, with Tendeg providing deployable Ka-band radar reflectors. This is a collaborative multi-partner NASA mission led by Colorado State University involving multiple NASA centers, university partners, and independent companies.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Tendeg competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- MDA Space: Direct peer: MDA Space manufactures deployable antennas and satellite subsystems (including the heritage Maxar/SMDA portfolio of mesh reflectors and SAR antenna structures). Closely comparable product line and customer overlap with Tendeg in SAR and communications constellations.
- Tesat-Spacecom: Direct peer: Tesat-Spacecom is a specialist in satellite communications payloads and antenna systems, including deployable reflector solutions. Comparable niche specialization in satellite RF hardware serving European and US primes.
- Beyond Gravity (formerly RUAG Space): Direct peer: Beyond Gravity is one of the world's leading manufacturers of deployable structures and reflector systems for satellites, including mesh reflectors and antenna mechanisms. Highly comparable product portfolio and customer base (ESA, NASA, commercial primes) to Tendeg.
- Northrop Grumman (Astro Aerospace / Spacecraft Structures): Direct peer: Northrop Grumman's Astro Aerospace subsidiary is the historical leader in deployable space booms, antennas, and mesh reflectors (including the AstroMesh family). Directly comparable technology and flight heritage, though embedded within a much larger prime.
- SENER Aeroespacial: Direct peer: SENER manufactures deployable mechanisms, antennas, and pointing systems for satellites and space science missions. Comparable in scale and specialization to Tendeg, with strong ESA heritage and growing US presence.
Emerging players
- CesiumAstro: Emerging player: CesiumAstro builds multi-beam phased-array communication payloads and antennas for LEO constellations. Less direct overlap on deployable mesh reflectors but a credible emerging competitor in satellite communication hardware serving the same proliferated constellation market.
- Swissto12: Emerging player: Swissto12 manufactures 3D-printed RF components and deployable antenna systems for satellite operators. Comparable niche focus on advanced antenna hardware for LEO/MEO constellations and direct adjacency in the deployable antenna supply chain.
Broad incumbents
- Ball Aerospace: Broad incumbent: Ball Aerospace builds satellite buses, RF payloads, and deployable antenna systems for defense and science customers. Comparable customer roster (NASA, DoD) and broader portfolio including complete satellite platforms.
- L3Harris Technologies: Broad incumbent: L3Harris supplies satellite communication antennas, RF payloads, and deployable structures across defense and commercial programs. Overlapping capability set but operating as part of a much larger diversified aerospace and defense portfolio.
- Lockheed Martin Space: Broad incumbent: Lockheed Martin Space both sources deployable antennas from Tendeg (TacSat) and competes with internal deployable structure capabilities across military and commercial satellite programs. Dual customer/competitor relationship makes it a critical comparison point.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Tendeg social profiles
Digital presenceTendeg compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Tendeg financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Tendeg leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
Tendeg funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Tendeg 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 Tendeg
What does Tendeg do?
Tendeg designs, prototypes, manufactures, and tests deployable antenna systems and precision space structures for satellite and spacecraft missions. Its product portfolio includes large and small aperture mesh reflectors, axially fired (helical) antennas, supporting components (gimbals, feeds, booms, control electronics), and advanced precision surface structures (thermal shields and optical/RF occulters), all built and qualified in-house at its Louisville, Colorado facility.
Is Tendeg a public or private company?
Tendeg is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Tendeg founded?
Tendeg was founded in 2016. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Tendeg based?
Tendeg is headquartered in Louisville, United States, in the North America region.
How does Tendeg make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Deployable Antenna Sales are the primary driver. The others are component and Subsystem Sales and advanced Structure Sales.
Who are Tendeg's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are MDA Space, Tesat-Spacecom, Beyond Gravity (formerly RUAG Space), Northrop Grumman (Astro Aerospace / Spacecraft Structures) and SENER Aeroespacial. Emerging players are CesiumAstro and Swissto12. Broad incumbents are Ball Aerospace, L3Harris Technologies and Lockheed Martin Space.
Does Tendeg have an API?
No public API is recorded for Tendeg.
What industry is Tendeg in?
Tendeg's product category is Deployable Space Antennas and Aerospace Structures. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMABACAD, Space Payloads & Instruments (Sensors, Comms, EO/IR), with a secondary code of IMABACAF, Space Structures, Mechanisms & Thermal Control. Its NAICS code is 336419 and its SIC code is 3760.