Space Exploration Engineering
Space Exploration Engineering is a Baltimore-based aerospace firm providing flight dynamics consulting and its proprietary AstroFDS® software to NASA, international space agencies, and commercial space companies for trajectory design, mission operations, and navigation across lunar, cislunar, and deep space missions.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1995
- HeadquartersBaltimore, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Space Exploration Engineering does
Space Exploration Engineering (SEE) is a Baltimore-headquartered aerospace engineering firm founded in 1995 and formally organized as an LLC in Maryland in 2018 by owners Mike Loucks (CEO), John Carrico Jr. (CTO), Lisa Policastri (COO), and Alisa Hawkins (CSO). The firm specializes in flight dynamics for space missions, with a particular concentration in cislunar, lunar, and deep space regimes, and reports involvement in 61 missions across 10 countries. SEE's core technology stack leverages Ansys/AGI STK and ODTK alongside its proprietary AstroFDS® Flight Dynamics System, a cloud-based, multi-user, multi-satellite platform that provides tracking, orbit determination, mission planning, maneuver recovery, and operational workflows. Several SEE team members helped develop STK/Astrogator, providing deep familiarity with the industry's standard astrodynamics toolchain, and SEE employs proprietary trajectory design techniques including Ballistic Lunar Transfers, Phasing Loops, Lunar Gravity Assists, and Resonant Orbits. AstroFDS® is a registered trademark.
SEE operates a professional services model organized around six service lines — Mission Concepting, Maneuver Planning and Navigation, Mission Operations, Training and Workshops, Technical Reviews and Due Diligence, and Custom Offering — complemented by the AstroFDS® software product. The firm serves three primary customer segments: government space agencies (NASA, KARI), commercial space companies (Rocket Lab, Astrobotic), and international mission teams (SpaceIL, Israel Aerospace Industries). Engagement scope spans from early proposal support and mission concepting through training of customer flight dynamics teams and surge/shadow support during live mission operations. SEE distributes its services through direct enterprise field sales and consulting engagements, supported by content marketing via its website, The Astrogator's Guild resource hub, and conference papers at AAS and AIAA. The firm is privately held by the four co-founders with no external institutional investment.
Space Exploration Engineering firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Space Exploration Engineering
- Legal name
- Space Exploration Engineering, LLC
- Website
- https://see.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1995
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Space Exploration Engineering is a Baltimore-based aerospace firm providing flight dynamics consulting and its proprietary AstroFDS® software to NASA, international space agencies, and commercial space companies for trajectory design, mission operations, and navigation across lunar, cislunar, and deep space missions.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Space Exploration Engineering industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Aerospace Engineering Services
- NAICS
- Computer Systems Design and Related Services (54151)
- SIC
- Search, Detection, Navagation, Guidance, Aeronautical Sys (3812), Guided Missiles & Space Vehicles & Parts (3760)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Guidance, Navigation & Control (GNC) for Space Systems (IMABACAG)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Spacecraft Avionics, Flight Computers & Software (IMABACAI)
Keywords
Where Space Exploration Engineering is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Baltimore
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Space Exploration Engineering business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Flight Dynamics Consulting Services: SEE provides specialized consulting services for mission concepting, trajectory design, maneuver planning, navigation, mission operations, and technical reviews. Revenue is generated through professional services engagements with government agencies, commercial space companies, and international partners.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
Space Exploration Engineering product offering
Product offeringCore offering
SEE provides specialized flight dynamics consulting services for space mission planning, trajectory design, maneuver planning, navigation, mission operations, and technical reviews, targeted at government space agencies, commercial space companies, and international partners. The firm also develops and licenses AstroFDS®, a proprietary cloud-based Flight Dynamics System that wraps Ansys/AGI STK and ODTK to support multi-user, multi-satellite mission operations.
Product overview
Space Exploration Engineering offers a portfolio of flight dynamics services and a software product called AstroFDS®. The core product AstroFDS® is a cloud-based Flight Dynamics System that provides mission planning, orbit determination, tracking, and maneuver recovery capabilities through integration with commercial software Ansys/AGI STK and ODTK. Complementing the software are six professional services: Mission Concepting (for early mission planning and trajectory design), Maneuver Planning and Navigation (for trajectory design and launch window development), Mission Operations (for real-time spacecraft operations support), Training and Workshops (for team skill development), Technical Reviews and Due Diligence (for feasibility assessment and risk identification), and Custom Offering (for tailored solutions). Together, these services and the AstroFDS® software form an integrated suite addressing the full mission lifecycle from concept development through active operations.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- AstroFDS®: A Flight Dynamics System for Orbit Analysts to use in Space Mission Operations. Supports multi-user, multi-satellite, cloud-based systems with interfaces, workflows, and configuration control of Ansys/AGI STK and ODTK software.
- The Astrogator's Guild
Products and services
- AstroFDS®
Companies that use Space Exploration Engineering
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Space Exploration Engineering technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration2 records
Feature2 records
Space Exploration Engineering partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- AstroboticcoreSEE was part of the flight dynamics team for Peregrine Mission One, supporting Astrobotic in early mission design phases, providing operator training, and surge support during live operations.
- United Launch AllianceminorULA was the launch provider for Peregrine Mission One, launching on the first Vulcan rocket (Cert-1).
- Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI)coreSEE has supported KARI since 2015 with training in STK and mission analysis for lunar programs. They continued supporting KARI during KPLO/Danuri program development, verifying navigation plans, and supporting launch and early operations on-site in South Korea.
- Rocket LabcoreSEE partnered with Rocket Lab on the CAPSTONE mission, providing flight dynamics expertise and training for the Rocket Lab FIDO (Flight Dynamics) team. SEE helped plan and execute trajectory maneuvers for the mission.
- Advanced SpacecoreAdvanced Space was the operator of the CAPSTONE spacecraft. SEE worked alongside Advanced Space as part of the integrated flight dynamics team.
- SpaceILcoreSEE designed the trajectory for Beresheet and supported the mission from early phases through operations. SEE monitored performance of automated maneuvers throughout the program.
- Israel Aerospace IndustriescoreIAI collaborated with SpaceIL on Beresheet. SEE partnered with both IAI and SpaceIL throughout the lunar lander program.
- NASAcoreNASA is a key partner, with SEE supporting multiple NASA missions including LADEE, LCROSS, IBEX, and CAPSTONE. NASA is listed as a key partner on SEE's website.
- AnsyscoreSEE is part of Ansys (via Synopsis acquisition). SEE leverages Ansys/AGI STK software tools, with team members having helped develop STK/Astrogator.
- AGI (Analytical Graphics)coreAGI, now part of Ansys, provides STK (Systems Tool Kit) software that SEE uses extensively. SEE team members helped develop STK/Astrogator.
- B612minorListed as a partner on SEE's website, B612 is a nonprofit organization working on asteroid detection and tracking.
- CamberminorListed as a partner on SEE's website.
- SEOPSminorListed as a partner on SEE's website.
- StellarminorListed as a partner on SEE's website.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Space Exploration Engineering competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- a.i. solutions: a.i. solutions provides flight dynamics engineering, mission analysis, and spacecraft operations services to NASA and DoD; highly comparable to SEE as a small/mid-sized aerospace consulting firm offering trajectory design, orbit determination, and mission operations support.
- Omitron: Omitron is a focused flight dynamics and space situational awareness services firm supporting NASA, NOAA, and DoD with orbit determination, mission operations, and conjunction assessment — directly comparable in scope and customer profile to SEE.
- Advanced Space: Advanced Space operates CAPSTONE for NASA, develops cislunar flight dynamics, and offers mission planning and PNT services; a direct peer in cislunar mission operations, having partnered with SEE on CAPSTONE — competing for similar commercial and government mission support work.
Broad incumbents
- GMV: GMV is a large European space and defense software/services firm with deep flight dynamics and ground systems capabilities across commercial, civil, and defense customers; overlaps with SEE in trajectory design and mission operations at significantly larger scale.
- Analytical Graphics Inc. (AGI / Ansys): AGI, now part of Ansys, developed STK and Astrogator — the industry-standard flight dynamics tools SEE builds on and whose founders helped create; a foundational incumbent in the space mission analysis tooling category that wraps around SEE's offerings.
- Kratos Defense & Security Solutions: Kratos offers a broad portfolio of space and defense engineering services including flight dynamics, ground systems, and mission operations for government and commercial customers; comparable to SEE at much larger scale with broader capability set.
- Parsons Corporation: Parsons provides aerospace and defense engineering services including space mission support, ground systems integration, and technical reviews — overlapping with SEE's mission concepting and technical review capabilities across government and commercial space.
- SAIC: SAIC delivers space systems engineering, mission operations, and flight dynamics support to NASA, DoD, and intelligence customers — a broad incumbent competing with SEE for similar NASA and defense technical services contracts.
- Booz Allen Hamilton: Booz Allen provides space and aerospace engineering, mission operations, and orbital analytics consulting for NASA, Space Force, and commercial clients — a broad incumbent adjacent to SEE's flight dynamics and mission operations work.
Emerging players
- Slingshot Aerospace: Slingshot Aerospace provides space situational awareness, orbital analytics, and space operations software leveraging AI; comparable as an emerging commercial space software/services firm addressing adjacent mission operations and space domain awareness customers.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Space Exploration Engineering social profiles
Digital presenceSpace Exploration Engineering financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Space Exploration Engineering leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
Space Exploration Engineering funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Space Exploration Engineering 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 Space Exploration Engineering
What does Space Exploration Engineering do?
SEE provides specialized flight dynamics consulting services for space mission planning, trajectory design, maneuver planning, navigation, mission operations, and technical reviews, targeted at government space agencies, commercial space companies, and international partners. The firm also develops and licenses AstroFDS®, a proprietary cloud-based Flight Dynamics System that wraps Ansys/AGI STK and ODTK to support multi-user, multi-satellite mission operations.
Is Space Exploration Engineering a public or private company?
Space Exploration Engineering is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Space Exploration Engineering founded?
Space Exploration Engineering was founded in 1995. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Space Exploration Engineering based?
Space Exploration Engineering is headquartered in Baltimore, United States, in the North America region.
How does Space Exploration Engineering make money?
One revenue line is on record: flight Dynamics Consulting Services.
Who are Space Exploration Engineering's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are a.i. solutions, Omitron and Advanced Space. Broad incumbents are GMV, Analytical Graphics Inc. (AGI / Ansys), Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Parsons Corporation, SAIC and Booz Allen Hamilton. Slingshot Aerospace is listed as an emerging player.
Does Space Exploration Engineering have an API?
No public API is recorded for Space Exploration Engineering.
What industry is Space Exploration Engineering in?
Space Exploration Engineering's product category is Aerospace Engineering Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMABACAG, Guidance, Navigation & Control (GNC) for Space Systems, with a secondary code of IMABACAI, Spacecraft Avionics, Flight Computers & Software. Its NAICS code is 54151 and its SIC code is 3812.