What Space-ng Inc. does

Space-ng Inc. was a Colorado-based, 1-10 employee company developing AI-powered vision-based navigation and autonomous guidance systems for spacecraft operating in GPS-denied environments, including lunar descent, rendezvous and proximity operations, and space situational awareness. Its core product, the Sol3 ecosystem, combines advanced optical sensors (Sony IMX 577 and IMX 565 camera modules, 12.4 MP, global and rolling shutter options) with a flight-grade compute platform (8-core ARM Cortex CPU, 15 TOPS neural engine, under 0.75 kg, 3-30W power envelope) and a software stack (Sol3 SDK, supporting C++17 and Python with PyTorch, OpenCV, Ceres Solver, GTSAM integrations). The Vision Navigation Software (VNS) processes camera images in real time at 1 Hz, comparing them to onboard-rendered lunar maps to estimate position and attitude and to trigger autonomous hazard avoidance maneuvers — capabilities validated during Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost Mission 1 lunar landing at Mare Crisium on March 2, 2025.

The company monetized through a dual GTM: a self-serve e-commerce storefront at space-ng.com selling HDK base units ($5,000) and camera modules ($1,000-$1,500) for prototyping, with US-only shipping; and quote-based enterprise sales of flight-qualified Sol3 hardware and SDK commercial licensing for spacecraft integration. Its customer base centered on spacecraft manufacturers requiring terrain-relative navigation, precision lunar landing, RPOD, and SSA. On June 25, 2026, Firefly Aerospace acquired Space-ng, with CEO Ethan Rublee transitioning to Chief Engineer of Software at Firefly and the team fully integrated to advance Blue Ghost lunar lander and Elytra orbital vehicle capabilities for future lunar and deep space missions. No venture funding rounds or pre-acquisition revenue figures were disclosed.

Name

Space-ng Inc.

Legal name

Space-ng, Inc.

Website

https://space-ng.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Acquired

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Space-ng Inc. developed AI-powered vision-based navigation and autonomous guidance systems for spacecraft, including lunar landing and hazard detection, via its Sol3 hardware and SDK ecosystem; the company was acquired by Firefly Aerospace in June 2026.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Spacecraft Vision Navigation Systems

NAICS

Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical, and Nautical System and Instrument Manufacturing (334511), Other Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Parts and Auxiliary Equipment Manufacturing (336419), Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Manufacturing (336414)

SIC

Search, Detection, Navagation, Guidance, Aeronautical Sys (3812), Guided Missiles & Space Vehicles & Parts (3760)

akta.pro primary industry

Spacecraft Avionics, Flight Computers & Software (IMABACAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Remote Sensing & Geospatial Vision (satellite/drone imagery) (HDAAAEAL), Spacecraft & Satellites (Civil/Commercial) (IMABACAB), Autonomous Flight Control & Guidance Systems (UAS/Urban Air Mobility) (IMABAFAO)

Keywords

• Vision-based navigation
• Autonomous spacecraft systems
• Terrain-relative navigation
• Lunar landing guidance
• Spacecraft vision sensors

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Hardware Sales - Development Kits: Sale of HDK (Hardware Development Kit) base units and camera modules for spacecraft vision system development and testing. HDK Base Unit priced at $5,000, camera modules at $1,000-$1,500 each.
2. Software Licensing - SDK: Sol3 SDK licensed for commercial use. Free for evaluation, academic, and non-commercial use. Commercial licenses require signing an End User License Agreement.
3. Flight Hardware Sales: Sale of flight-qualified Sol3 vision systems and camera hardware for integration into spacecraft. Customers must contact for quotes as pricing is not publicly disclosed.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Space-ng Inc. develops and sells the Sol3 product family, an integrated ecosystem of AI-powered vision navigation software and flight-grade hardware for autonomous spacecraft operations. The offering combines the Vision Navigation Software (VNS), a Sol3 Flight Base Unit compute platform (8-core ARM Cortex, 15 TOPS neural engine) with swappable camera modules (IMX565 C-Mount, IMX577 S-Mount), a Sol3 HDK development kit, and the Sol3 SDK. Use cases include GPS-denied navigation, autonomous precision lunar landing, terrain-relative navigation, hazard avoidance, mission imagery, RPOD, and space situational awareness.

Product overview

Space-ng Inc. offers the Sol3 product family — a vision-based autonomous spacecraft platform combining advanced optical sensors, high-performance neural engine processing (15 TOPS), and machine learning algorithms. The Sol3 ecosystem consists of the Sol3 Flight Hardware (Base Unit and Camera Modules) for space operations, the Sol3 SDK for software development with Python and C++ support, and the Sol3 HDK (Hardware Development Kit) for prototyping and testing. The Vision Navigation Software (VNS) enables real-time attitude and position determination, terrain-relative navigation, and autonomous hazard detection and avoidance for precision lunar landing. Camera modules (IMX565 C-Mount and IMX577 S-Mount) provide 12.4 MP imaging with swappable lenses. The company was acquired by Firefly Aerospace in June 2026.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Sol3: Advanced optical sensors, high-performance neural engine processing, and machine learning algorithms for spacecraft autonomy. Includes Flight Base Unit, Camera Modules, HDK, and SDK.
• Sol3 HDK
• Sol3 SDK

Products and services

• Sol3 Flight Base Unit Flight-grade compute unit with 8-core ARM Cortex processor, 15 TOPS neural engine, supporting up to 12 cameras with 6 running simultaneously. Mass under 0.75 kg, power consumption 3W idle to 30W max. Designed for integration into spacecraft for autonomous vision-based navigation, hazard avoidance, mission imagery, RPOD, and SSA.
• Sol3 HDK (Hardware Development Kit) Hardware/Software Development Kit providing flight-like compute and sensor hardware for engineers to prototype and test vision applications. Interface and functionally equivalent to Sol3 Flight units. Low cost, air-cooled, rugged by design with identical functionality and performance as flight units. Enables seamless software transfer from development to flight hardware.
• Sol3 HDK Base Unit HDK base unit with 8-core ARM Cortex CPU, 15 TOPS GPU/NPU, 8 GB RAM, 1 TB storage, supporting up to 12 cameras (6 simultaneous). Dimensions: 8.2" x 3.3" x 1.3", mass under 0.75 kg, power 3-30W. Priced at $5,000 per unit.
• IMX577 HDK S-Mount Camera Module Camera module with Sony IMX 577 sensor, 4056x3040 resolution, rolling shutter, RGB only, S-64 lens optics (64° HFOV, 51° VFOV, F# 2.6). Integrated 6 DOF IMU, up to 6 Gbps data rate per module. Weight: 0.15-0.28 kg. Priced at $1,000.
• IMX565 HDK C-Mount Camera Module Camera module with Sony IMX-565 sensor, 4096x3008 resolution (12.4 MP), global shutter, RGB or Monochrome color options, C-115.6 lens optics (115.6° HFOV, 70° VFOV). Weight: 0.15-0.28 kg, power: 0.8-2W. Priced at $1,500.
• Sol3 SDK Software Development Kit for developing and testing vision applications on the Sol3 platform. Supports C++17 and Python 3.x, integrates with Eigen, OpenCV, PyTorch, NumPy, Ceres Solver, GTSAM, and AprilTag. Includes OTA updates, compilation/runtime containers, and works with both simulated image injection and real camera hardware. Network API for commanding cameras and streaming imagery. Free for evaluation, non-commercial, and academic research use.
• Vision Navigation Software (VNS) Real-time image processing software that estimates spacecraft position and attitude at 1 Hz by comparing navigation camera images to simulated lunar imagery rendered onboard. Supports autonomous terrain-relative navigation and hazard avoidance during lunar descent, including detection of slopes, rocks, and craters, and triggering of autonomous hazard avoidance maneuvers. Validated during Blue Ghost Mission 1 successful Moon landing in Mare Crisium on March 2, 2025.

Quantifiable outcome

• Position and attitude estimation at 1 Hz during lunar descent
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability3 records

Feature10 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Firefly AerospacecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 June 2026Firefly Aerospace acquired Space-ng Inc. on June 25, 2026. The acquisition brings Space-ng's AI-powered vision navigation software and camera hardware into Firefly's portfolio, strengthening capabilities for Blue Ghost lunar landers and Elytra orbital vehicles. Space-ng CEO Ethan Rublee joined Firefly as Chief Engineer of Software, with the entire Space-ng team fully integrated to advance autonomous space operations for future lunar and deep space missions. Space-ng's technology was already proven during Firefly's historic Blue Ghost Mission 1 successful Moon landing on March 2, 2025.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Advanced Navigation: Australian developer of AI-driven navigation and positioning systems across航空航天, defense, maritime, and terrestrial domains. Directly comparable as a peer building AI-powered navigation stacks for GPS-denied and autonomous platforms, including space-adjacent offerings.
• Xona Space Systems: Builds commercial PNT (positioning, navigation, timing) satellite infrastructure targeting GPS-denied and resilient positioning needs. Comparable as an alternative positioning/navigation provider for autonomous systems where traditional GPS is unreliable.
• Near Earth Autonomy: Develops autonomous flight and perception technology for aircraft and unmanned systems. Directly comparable as a peer applying computer vision and autonomy to aerospace platforms, with overlapping techniques in GPS-denied navigation and perception.
• LeoLabs: Provides space situational awareness and object tracking services using ground-based radar. Comparable as a peer addressing the SSA use case in Space-ng's product portfolio, though via ground sensing rather than onboard vision.
• Slingshot Aerospace: Offers space situational awareness, space traffic management, and AI-driven analytics for satellite operators and governments. Comparable as a peer in SSA and orbital tracking, an adjacent capability to Space-ng's onboard SSA feature.

Broad incumbents

• Honeywell Aerospace: Large aerospace avionics and navigation incumbent supplying inertial, GPS, and integrated guidance systems across commercial, defense, and space platforms. Comparable as a broad incumbent in the navigation and guidance category where Space-ng competes.
• L3Harris Technologies: Major defense prime offering navigation, guidance, avionics, and space-qualified electronics across military and commercial programs. Comparable as a broad incumbent with overlapping spacecraft GNC and mission electronics offerings.
• BAE Systems Electronic Systems: Defense electronics provider of navigation, sensor, and autonomous systems for air, land, and space applications. Comparable as a broad incumbent with positioning and navigation solutions that overlap Space-ng's onboard navigation and autonomy stack.
• Parsons Corporation: Defense and space contractor with work in space domain awareness, GNSS alternatives, and autonomous systems. Comparable as a broad incumbent with overlapping positioning/navigation and space autonomy programs relevant to Space-ng's customer set.

Emerging players

• ExoAnalytic Solutions: Provides space domain awareness and object tracking via global optical sensor network for government and commercial customers. Comparable as a specialized SSA peer relevant to Space-ng's SSA feature, focused on non-Earth imaging rather than onboard processing.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Space_ng_Inc
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@FireflySpace

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Space-ng Inc.