What Fibertek does

Fibertek, Inc. is a privately held, Virginia-based company founded in 1983 that develops mission-critical laser technologies and provides full-service engineering services for US national security, aerospace, and NASA programs. The company's Laser Technologies division designs and builds radiation-hardened, space-qualified hardware — including advanced high-power lasers, lidar systems, free-space optical communication terminals, and emerging components such as quantum communications, supercontinuum sources, photonic integrated circuits, and laser power beaming — for precision targeting, planetary sensing, deep-space optical communications, and gravitational wave detection. Its Engineering Services division, established in 1996, supplies expert technical staff across program management, scientific research and analysis, AI integration, logistics and field service, test and evaluation, facilities management, and budgetary support to Army and NASA customers.

Fibertek generates revenue through prime government contract vehicles — including US Army RS3, GSA OASIS Plus (SB), and MDA Shield — delivering both custom-designed hardware and engineering services on multi-year task-order contracts. The company ranks in the top 2% of 196 small business vendors on RS3 and operates a 70,000 sq ft Herndon, Virginia headquarters with 23,000 sq ft of laboratory space, ISO 9001:2015 certification, and ISO 6 and ISO 7 cleanrooms supporting build, qualification, and low-rate production. Customer engagements span NASA (Goddard, JPL, Langley), the US Army and DEVCOM Army Research Laboratory, Missile Defense Agency, and international partners including the European Space Agency and France's CNES. Fibertek's flight heritage includes ATLAS lasers on ICESat-2 (over 2 trillion on-orbit shots, operational life through 2035), CALIPSO Nd:YAG transmitters (nearly 20 years of continuous operation versus a 3-year design life), the DSOC Uplink Laser Assembly on Psyche, and ongoing development for the ESA/NASA LISA gravitational wave observatory.

Name

Fibertek

Legal name

Fibertek, Inc.

Website

https://fibertek.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1983

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Fibertek is a privately held, Herndon, Virginia-based aerospace and defense contractor founded in 1983 that designs radiation-hardened laser, lidar, and optical communication hardware and provides engineering services for NASA and US Department of War customers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Photonics and Laser Systems for Aerospace & Defense

NAICS

Other Communications Equipment Manufacturing (334290), Radio and Television Broadcasting and Wireless Communications Equipment Manufacturing (33422)

SIC

Optical Instruments & Lenses (3827), Communications Equipment, Nec (3669), Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823)

akta.pro primary industry

Optoelectronic Receivers & Transceivers (Photodetectors/Optical Modules) (HDAHALAM)

akta.pro secondary industry

Fiber-Optic Interconnects (Connectors/Cables/Transceivers Interfaces) (HDAHAOAE)

Keywords

• Laser technology systems
• Lidar systems engineering
• Optical communication terminals
• Space-qualified laser transmitters
• Defense engineering services

Headquarters

HQ city

Herndon

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Government Defense Contracts: Fibertek generates revenue through prime contract vehicles including US Army RS3, GSA OASIS Plus (SB), and MDA Shield, providing engineering services and laser technologies to the Department of War and NASA. The company has been a leading small business on RS3 and ranks in the top 2% of 196 small business vendors.
2. Laser Technology Products: Custom-designed laser systems, lidar, and optical communication hardware sold to government agencies for space, airborne, and ground applications with mission-critical reliability requirements.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Fibertek designs and manufactures custom laser, lidar, and free-space optical communication hardware for space, airborne, and ground defense applications, including space-qualified transmitters, lidar altimeters, and optical communication terminals. It also delivers full-service engineering support — program management, scientific research, AI integration, logistics, test and evaluation, and budgetary services — primarily to NASA and the Department of War through prime government contract vehicles.

Product overview

Fibertek offers a portfolio of laser technologies (Advanced Lasers, Lidar Systems, Optical Communication Terminals, and Advanced Technologies & Components) alongside comprehensive Engineering Services. The Laser Technologies division develops custom hardware for space and defense missions, while the Engineering Services division provides expert technical staff for DoW and NASA customers. Space products include ICESat-2 ATLAS laser transmitters, DSOC Uplink Laser Assembly, CALIPSO laser transmitters, Europa Landing Lidar, SALi, and LISA Laser Amplifiers. The company operates from a 70,000 sq ft facility in Herndon, VA, with ISO 9001:2015 certification.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Advanced Lasers High-power, high-energy laser hardware enabling precision targeting and tracking, long-distance ranging, and planetary sensing for space and defense missions; sold to NASA, Department of War, and defense agencies.
• Lidar Systems Precision lidar systems for terrestrial and planetary mapping, navigation, and low-SWaP applications, integrating advanced laser technology, electronics, and novel sensing algorithms; designed for NASA and defense customers.
• Optical Communication Terminals Free-space optical (FSO) communications systems for ground and space domains enabling long-range, high-bandwidth links with low size, weight, and power consumption for deep-space missions; sold to NASA, DoD, and commercial space customers.
• Advanced Technologies and Components Disruptive photonic technologies including quantum communications, supercontinuum sources, photonic integrated circuits, laser power beaming, and advanced electronics for active electro-optic sensing; targeted at defense and space research customers.
• ICESat-2 ATLAS Laser Transmitters Space-qualified laser transmitters and photon-counting detector electronics for NASA's ICESat-2 mission, providing precise Earth ice, vegetation, and surface elevation measurements with demonstrated 2 trillion+ laser shots on-orbit.
• DSOC Uplink Laser Assembly (ULA) Ground-based laser uplink terminal for NASA's Deep Space Optical Communications (DSOC) technology demonstration on the Psyche mission, providing 7 kW combined output power from 10 lasers for precision beaconing and signaling across interplanetary distances.
• CALIPSO Laser Transmitters Nd:YAG laser transmitters for the joint NASA-CNES CALIPSO Earth observation mission, with dual-laser architecture delivering continuous atmospheric aerosol and cloud measurements for nearly 20 years in orbit.
• Europa Landing Lidar Transmitter Compact laser transmitter for NASA's Europa Lander entry, descent, and landing lidar system, engineered to endure cryogenic temperatures, deep-space vacuum, and intense radiation while meeting strict SWaP constraints.
• SALi (Small All-Range Lidar) Compact multi-beam (8–16) lidar for planetary exploration and descent navigation, providing high-resolution 3D mapping and real-time topographic measurements across ranges from meters to hundreds of kilometers.
• LISA Laser Amplifier High-efficiency, space-qualified laser amplifier for the NASA/ESA LISA gravitational wave observatory, providing multi-watt continuous-wave output at 1064 nm with exceptionally low noise and precise polarization control.
• Program Management Services Comprehensive program management support for defense and space initiatives, including acquisition planning, logistics coordination, and procurement strategy; sold primarily to DoD and NASA customers.
• Scientific Research and Analysis Cutting-edge research in sensors, energy, electronic warfare, and biotechnology supporting the advancement of mission-critical technologies for Army Research Laboratory (ARL) and other defense organizations.
• Artificial Intelligence Services Multidisciplinary AI team supporting US Army Futures Command's AI Integration Center (AI2C), performing data analytics, assessing AI readiness, and integrating AI tools into Army platforms and operations.
• Test and Evaluation Support Rigorous testing and analysis to ensure system reliability, safety, and mission performance across the full testing lifecycle from resource planning to analysis and reporting; sold to DoD and NASA customers.
• Logistics Management and Field Service Support End-to-end logistics and field service ensuring equipment readiness and operational continuity, including international deployment and humanitarian demining support for defense customers.
• Budgetary Support Services Reliable fiscal planning, tracking, and execution support aligned with DoD and civilian agency requirements, including budget tracking, reporting, and resource planning.
• Facilities Management Services Secure, certified support for facility operations, inventory control, and global shipping logistics including warehousing, storage, and facilities infrastructure management for government customers.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2 trillion+ laser shots on ICESat-2, with projected 17+ year operational life
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• European Space Agency (ESA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFibertek is collaborating with ESA on the LISA (Laser Interferometer Space Antenna) mission, developing space-qualified laser amplifiers for the first space-based gravitational wave observatory. The partnership involves developing high-efficiency laser amplifiers that deliver multi-watt, continuous-wave output at 1064nm with radiation-hardened fiber architectures for the three-spacecraft constellation.
• NASA Goddard Space Flight CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFibertek has partnered with NASA Goddard on multiple missions including ICESat-2 ATLAS laser transmitters and LISA laser amplifier development. The company developed and delivered three space-qualified laser transmitters for the ICESat-2 mission and photon-counting detector electronics for 120 individual detectors.
• NASA Jet Propulsion LaboratorycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFibertek partnered with NASA JPL on the Deep Space Optical Communications (DSOC) technology demonstration, developing the 7kW Uplink Laser Assembly for the Psyche mission. The ground-based terminal was delivered, installed, and is operated from JPL's Optical Communications Telescope Laboratory facility.
• Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFibertek collaborated with CNES (French space agency) on the CALIPSO mission, designing and building Nd:YAG laser transmitters that operated continuously for nearly 20 years as part of the joint NASA-CNES Earth observation satellite.
• University of Central FloridacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFibertek partnered with the University of Central Florida and NASA Goddard on the LISA laser amplifier program, developing space-qualified laser technology for the gravitational wave observatory mission.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Ball Aerospace (BAE Systems Space & Mission Systems): Historically the most direct competitor to Fibertek on NASA Earth-sensing lidar missions — Ball built the ICESat-2 ATLAS instrument that hosts Fibertek's laser transmitters and has long heritage in space-qualified lidar and optical payloads. Following BAE's 2024 acquisition, Ball remains the prime integrator on many of the same programs Fibertek supplies into.
• L3Harris Technologies: Operates a Space and Airborne Systems segment that builds space-qualified laser communications, lidar, and electro-optic/infrared sensors for DoD and NASA, overlapping directly with Fibertek's laser transmitter and optical comm terminal portfolio.
• SA Photonics: Small, specialized builder of free-space optical communication terminals and photonics subsystems for space and airborne platforms — directly comparable in scale, customer set, and product mix to Fibertek's Optical Communication Terminals line.
• MZA Associates Corporation: Specialty engineering firm focused on directed energy, high-energy laser systems, and atmospheric propagation for DoD and NASA — closely comparable in technology stack and government customer profile, though smaller and more directed-energy weighted.

Broad incumbents

• Lockheed Martin Space: Largest U.S. space prime with broad capability across lidar payloads, laser comm, and directed energy. Competes with Fibertek both as a prime that may self-perform laser content and as the integrator that selects Fibertek (or rivals) as subsystem suppliers on flagship NASA and DoD missions.
• Northrop Grumman: Major U.S. defense and space prime with substantial capability in space-based sensors, laser systems, and directed energy (e.g., legacy Chemical Oxygen Iodine Laser work). Competes with Fibertek for mission content on MDA, NASA, and Army programs.
• Raytheon (RTX): Through Raytheon Missiles & Defense and Collins Aerospace, builds laser-based sensing, seeker, and directed-energy systems for the U.S. Army and MDA — overlapping with Fibertek's defense laser and engineering-services work, and competing for the same task orders under RS3 and MDA Shield.
• Honeywell Aerospace: Supplies space-qualified electro-optic components, inertial sensors, and laser-based instruments to NASA and DoD. Comparable as a broad incumbent in space photonics and a potential competitor or partner on lidar and laser comm payload programs.

Emerging players

• Lumentum: Commercial supplier of high-power laser diodes, fiber lasers, and optical components used in space and defense subsystems. Adjacent technology stack with overlap in 1064 nm and 1550 nm amplifier architectures relevant to Fibertek's laser transmitter and amplifier products.
• Coherent Corp: Large photonics and laser materials supplier (formed via II-VI/Coherent merger) serving aerospace and defense with high-power lasers, optical fibers, and components. Overlaps with Fibertek in space-grade laser transmitter and amplifier technology.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fibertek

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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 Fibertek