Fifth Gait Technologies

What Fifth Gait Technologies does

Fifth Gait Technologies is a privately held, minority woman-owned small business founded in 2007 by Dr. Kathryn Doughty, headquartered in Santa Barbara, California, with engineering facilities in Colorado Springs (Goldflam Laboratory) and Huntsville, Alabama (Rocket City Laboratory). The company specializes in radiation effects testing, survivability engineering, and space environment modeling for U.S. defense, aerospace, and energy customers, producing proprietary software tools — SIRE2 (Space Radiation Environment Tool), XTRRA (X-ray Transfer and Response Analysis), NICSSIM, and the NICS infrared simulation chamber — alongside operating the Neutron Test Facility (NTF) launched in 2023 for neutron single-event effects (nSEE) testing. Its technical services span single-event effects and prompt-dose radiation testing, electromagnetic/EMP qualification, sensor and focal plane array characterization, design analysis (SPICE, NASTRAN, MCNP, GEANT-4, TFCalc, THTk, MEEC), and full mission assurance systems engineering.

Revenue is derived primarily from U.S. Government contracts acquired through SBIR (Small Business Innovation Research), STTR, and Rapid Innovation Fund vehicles, with the majority of work flowing from DoD organizations, the Missile Defense Agency (MDA), the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA), the Department of Energy (DOE), and NASA, supplemented by prime contractor engagements (notably Raytheon Missile Systems via a 2016 Mentor-Protégé Agreement). Distribution is direct and government-channel-oriented: services are sold via RFQ submission and dedicated inquiry portals, delivered on-site at company labs, off-site at national laboratory facilities (NIF at Lawrence Livermore, Z Machine at Sandia, OMEGA at University of Rochester, Double Eagle), or through NTF rental. The company is AS9100-D certified and NIST 800-171 compliant, employs 50+ people per public-facing disclosures (though firmographics list 1-10), and maintains a domestic U.S. customer base with international licensing of its modeling tools to DOE, DoD, and commercial space users.

Name

Fifth Gait Technologies

Legal name

Fifth Gait Technologies, Inc.

Website

https://5thgait.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Fifth Gait Technologies is a privately held defense and aerospace engineering firm that provides radiation effects testing, space environment modeling, and survivability engineering services to the U.S. Department of Defense, its prime contractors, and the commercial space sector, using proprietary software tools and its own test facilities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Defense Engineering and Radiation Testing Services

NAICS

Testing Laboratories and Services (541380), Testing Laboratories and Services (54138), Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing (3345)

SIC

Services-Testing Laboratories (8734), Instruments For Meas & Testing Of Electricity & Elec Signals (3825)

akta.pro primary industry

Avionics Test, Simulation & Calibration Equipment (IMABAFAN)

akta.pro secondary industries

Modeling, Simulation, Digital Twins & Mission Rehearsal Systems (IMABAOAL), Military Aerospace Ground Support Equipment (GSE) & Test Systems (IMABAMAL)

Keywords

• Radiation effects testing
• Space survivability engineering
• Neutron testing facility
• Mission assurance services
• Nuclear hardening

Headquarters

HQ city

Colorado Springs

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Government Contracts (DoD/DOE): Fifth Gait Technologies derives the majority of its revenue from U.S. Government contracts, including DoD organizations and the Department of Energy. The company has won multiple SBIR awards, Rapid Innovation Fund contracts, and Phase III SBIR contracts. Revenue is generated through technical program delivery across radiation testing, modeling, simulation, and system survivability services.
2. Radiation Testing Services: Fifth Gait provides turnkey radiation effects testing services for microelectronics, sensors, materials, and circuit card assemblies. Testing is conducted at both on-site facilities and off-site national laboratory facilities (NIF, OMEGA, Z Machine, Double Eagle). Services are billed on a project basis via RFQ/contract.
3. Neutron Test Facility (NTF) Rental: The NTF, launched in 2023, is available for rental to customers needing neutron single event effects (nSEE) testing. The facility includes a 14 MeV neutron generator and custom-designed moderation enclosure. Customers rent the facility and receive test operator, dosimetry, ESD workstations, power, and supporting services.
4. Software Tool Licensing: Fifth Gait licenses its proprietary software tools including SIRE2, XTRRA, and NICSSIM to customers including DoD, DOE, and commercial space enterprises. Tools are used for modeling and simulation of radiation environments and effects.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Fifth Gait Technologies provides advanced survivability solutions through radiation effects testing, modeling and simulation, and system engineering services for critical defense, aerospace, and energy systems. The company delivers turnkey testing for microelectronics, sensors, optical materials, and circuit card assemblies both at its own facilities and at major national laboratories, and licenses proprietary software tools (SIRE2, XTRRA, NICSSIM) for space radiation environment modeling and X-ray deposition analysis.

Product overview

Fifth Gait Technologies offers a portfolio of radiation testing, modeling, and system engineering services rather than a single product. The core offerings include SIRE2 (space weather modeling) and XTRRA (x-ray deposition analysis) as primary software tools, supplemented by the Neutron Test Facility for nSEE testing. Testing services span radiation effects, electromagnetic compatibility, and sensor characterization. System engineering services cover design assessment, mission requirements, and industry standards compliance. The product development arm provides manufacturer verification & validation plus special test equipment development. These services work together to provide mission assurance and survivability solutions for defense, commercial space, and energy industries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• FGT Labs: Fifth Gait's testing facilities brand, encompassing the Neutron Test Facility and various laboratory services.

Products and services

• SIRE2 Space Radiation Environment Tool that models and simulates natural space radiation environments including solar flares, geomagnetic storms, and cosmic radiation, providing a user-friendly interface for system analysis and shielding design across DoD, DOE, and space enterprise applications.
• XTRRA X-ray Transfer and Response Analysis toolkit that models X-ray deposition in materials, enabling understanding of material behavior under X-ray exposure for optical coatings and advanced materials optimization.
• Neutron Test Facility (NTF) Neutron single event effects (nSEE) testing environment featuring a 14 MeV neutron generator and custom-designed moderation enclosure, available for rental with test operator, dosimetry, ESD workstations, power, and shielding services.
• Radiation Effects Testing Comprehensive radiation testing services for microelectronics, sensors, materials, and circuit card assemblies including single-event effects, latch-up, prompt dose, and neutron-induced upset testing, delivered at company facilities and at external national laboratories.
• Electromagnetic Testing EMI shielding, Box EMP, Cable SGEMP, and Open Cavity SGEMP testing and protection services for defense and commercial systems, including EMP protection and mitigation analysis using THTk and MEEC tools.
• Characterization Testing Services Sensor characterization testing and radiation shielding testing for visible and infrared sensors, including accuracy, reaction time, and environmental resistance evaluation using facilities such as the NICS chamber for scene generation.
• Environment Modeling Services Space weather and man-made radiation environment modeling using SIRE2 and related tools to predict and prepare for radiation effects on electronic systems across defense, space, and energy applications.
• Design Analysis Services Circuit design analysis (SPICE), materials analysis (NASTRAN), thin film analysis (TFCalc), EMP protection analysis (THTk, MEEC), and radiation transport modeling (MCNP, GEANT-4) for terrestrial and space mission electronics.
• Design Assessment Services Assessment of microelectronics, materials and structures, EMP/EMI resilience, sensors and image processing, and comprehensive system evaluations supporting survivability and hardening decisions.
• Mission Requirements Services Environment definition (space and manmade), system CONOPS development, mission analysis, and advanced technology integration for mission success across defense and space programs.
• Industry Standards Services Rigorous test protocol development and system requirements interpretation to ensure projects meet aerospace quality and performance standards, including AS9100 and NIST 800-171 compliance considerations.
• Manufacturer Verification & Validation Verification and validation services for optics, sensors, and electronics ensuring component excellence and reliability for aerospace and defense applications.
• Special Test Equipment Custom-designed specialized test equipment, fixtures, test rigs, and instrumentation systems engineered for unique testing requirements across aerospace and defense applications.

Quantifiable outcome

• 334+ cold X-ray shots conducted at major national laboratory facilities
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability1 record

Feature9 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Raytheon Missile SystemscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016The Missile Defense Agency announced a Mentor-Protégé Agreement between Fifth Gait Technologies and Raytheon Missile Systems in 2016. The program seeks to help eligible small businesses expand their footprint in the defense industrial base. Fifth Gait was later recognized with Raytheon's Epic Award for Excellence in Performance, Innovation, & Collaboration in 2017, demonstrating strong partnership performance.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• SAIC: Federal services integrator serving MDA, DTRA, and other DoD customers; competes in systems engineering, mission assurance, and survivability analysis programs.
• L3Harris Technologies: Defense prime with significant space and electronic warfare businesses; overlaps with Fifth Gait in radiation-hardened electronics, sensor characterization, and survivability engineering services.
• Leidos: Large federal services and defense contractor with adjacent mission assurance and survivability engineering capabilities across DoD and intelligence customers.
• Northrop Grumman: Major defense prime with extensive space and missile defense franchises; sources survivability and radiation testing from Fifth Gait but also maintains internal capabilities that could substitute externally over time.
• Honeywell Aerospace: Large prime supplier of radiation-hardened avionics and space electronics with internal survivability engineering; competes with Fifth Gait for survivability testing and modeling work on larger integrated platforms.
• Ball Aerospace (BAE Systems Space & Mission Systems): Space systems integrator that procures radiation-effects testing and space environment modeling services similar to those delivered by Fifth Gait's SIRE2/XTRRA toolchain.
• Curtiss-Wright Defense Solutions: Supplies rugged/radiation-hardened electronic systems for defense and aerospace; competes for survivability and mission assurance engagements where Fifth Gait provides specialist support.

Direct peers

• MEVEX Corporation: Specialist radiation-effects and single-event-effects (SEE) test provider serving aerospace and defense customers; competes directly with Fifth Gait in turnkey radiation testing services for microelectronics and sensors.
• Radiation Test Solutions, Inc. Independent radiation testing laboratory offering neutron, gamma, and X-ray dose-rate testing for the defense, aerospace, and space communities — directly overlapping with Fifth Gait's NTF and radiation effects testing services.

Emerging players

• S&K Aerospace: Small-business defense services firm participating in MDA Mentor-Protégé and other DoD programs; a comparable small-business peer competing for set-aside and protégé work alongside Fifth Gait.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/FifthGait
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fifth-gait-technologies-inc-
• Instagraminstagram.com/fifthgait
• Xx.com/FifthGait

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Fifth Gait Technologies