SA Photonics
SA Photonics designs and manufactures American-made free-space optical communications terminals (CrossBeam, SkyLight) and laser transmitters for LEO, MEO, GEO, and deep-space missions. The company, founded in 2002 and now a CACI subsidiary, serves NASA and U.S. military and intelligence customers from facilities in Los Gatos and Orlando.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2002
- HeadquartersLos Gatos, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What SA Photonics does
SA Photonics, founded in 2002 and headquartered in Los Gatos, California, designs, manufactures, and develops free-space optical communications systems for space-based applications. Its core products include CrossBeam, a compact free-space optical communication terminal designed for low-cost, high-volume manufacturing targeting LEO crosslink applications, and SkyLight, an ultra-low SWaP (Size, Weight, and Power) integrated optical communication system providing satellite crosslink capabilities across all data processing, transmitters, amplifiers, and receivers. The company also produces American-made optical communications terminals and laser transmitters for low earth, medium earth, and geostationary orbits, and has extended into advanced LiDAR communications for airborne and space ISR missions and high-performance electro-optical/infrared sensing. Manufacturing is performed at a dedicated space manufacturing and testing facility in Orlando that opened in June 2022.
The company's revenue is generated through bespoke hardware sales of optical communications terminals, laser transmitters, and other optical-based products to government and commercial satellite programs. SA Photonics serves a primary customer base of U.S. government military and intelligence agencies, including NASA missions such as ILLUMA-T (the first bidirectional, end-to-end laser communications relay system on the ISS) and the Psyche deep-space optical communications demonstration, with a secondary focus on commercial satellite operators seeking high-capacity LEO crosslinks for mega-constellations. In 2024, SA Photonics was acquired by CACI International Inc. to pursue military and commercial markets for small, lower-cost optical terminals, integrating its optical communications technology into CACI's broader space and defense portfolio. Following the acquisition, the company operates as a subsidiary within CACI's space and communications business unit, with go-to-market executed through CACI's enterprise field-sales organization and corporate marketing channels.
SA Photonics firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- SA Photonics
- Website
- https://saphotonics.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2002
- Operating status
- Acquired
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- SA Photonics designs and manufactures American-made free-space optical communications terminals (CrossBeam, SkyLight) and laser transmitters for LEO, MEO, GEO, and deep-space missions. The company, founded in 2002 and now a CACI subsidiary, serves NASA and U.S. military and intelligence customers from facilities in Los Gatos and Orlando.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
SA Photonics industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Free-Space Optical Communications Hardware
- NAICS
- Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Manufacturing (336414)
- SIC
- Guided Missiles & Space Vehicles & Parts (3760), Computer Communications Equipment (3576)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Space Payloads & Instruments (Sensors, Comms, EO/IR) (IMABACAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Satellite Broadband Terminals & Gateways (VSAT/LEO CPE) (HDAFAIAM), Optoelectronic Receivers & Transceivers (Photodetectors/Optical Modules) (HDAHALAM), Avionics Communication Systems (VHF/UHF/SATCOM/Data Link) (IMABAFAG)
Keywords
Where SA Photonics is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Los Gatos
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
SA Photonics business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Operations
Revenue model
- Optical Communications Hardware Sales: Revenue generated from the sale of optical communications terminals, laser transmitters, and other optical-based products for space applications. The company manufactures bespoke solutions for government and commercial satellite programs.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels3 records
SA Photonics product offering
Product offeringCore offering
SA Photonics designs, manufactures, and develops free-space optical communications terminals and laser-based hardware for space-based applications, including Optical Inter-Satellite Links (OISL) and satellite crosslink systems. Its products, notably the CrossBeam and SkyLight terminals, support U.S. government missions across low earth, medium earth, and geostationary orbits, as well as deep space exploration programs for customers such as NASA.
Product overview
Based on the provided source data, SA Photonics was acquired by CACI for the purpose of pursuing military and commercial markets for small, lower cost optical terminals. The source material does not contain specific details about SA Photonics's individual product offerings, product names, or product descriptions. The available information indicates SA Photonics operated in the optical communications/satellite terminals space and was acquired to enhance CACI's capabilities in producing smaller, more cost-effective optical terminals for LEO satellite applications.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Quantifiable outcome
- CACI's laser communications technology aboard NASA's Psyche spacecraft set another distance record for optical communications in deep space
Companies that use SA Photonics
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
SA Photonics technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
SA Photonics partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- CACI International InccoreCACI acquired SA Photonics to pursue military and commercial markets for small, lower cost optical terminals. The acquisition integrates SA Photonics' optical communications technology with CACI's broader space and defense portfolio, enabling pursuit of government and commercial opportunities for optical inter-satellite link systems.
Scale indicators1 record
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights3 records
SA Photonics competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Mynaric: Mynaric develops and manufactures free-space optical communication terminals for space-based applications, including LEO inter-satellite links. It is the closest direct competitor to SA Photonics in spaceborne FSO terminals, with overlapping customer sets in defense and commercial constellations.
- Tesat-Spacecom: Tesat-Spacecom is a leading supplier of laser communication terminals for space, including LEO, MEO, GEO, and deep space. It competes directly with SA Photonics' CrossBeam and SkyLight products for government and commercial optical terminal programs.
Broad incumbents
- Ball Aerospace: Ball Aerospace designs and manufactures spacecraft, optical systems, and communications payloads for government and commercial customers. It overlaps with SA Photonics in space optical and communications hardware and serves the same DoD/NASA customer base.
- Honeywell Aerospace: Honeywell Aerospace produces avionics, SATCOM terminals, and space-qualified hardware for defense and commercial platforms. It competes with SA Photonics in secure space communications and is a large, well-capitalized incumbent.
- L3Harris Technologies: L3Harris provides space communications, payloads, and electronic systems for DoD and intelligence customers. It overlaps with SA Photonics' U.S. government optical communications focus as a broader space and defense prime.
- Thales Alenia Space: Thales Alenia Space builds satellites, optical payloads, and laser communication systems for European and global customers. It is a broader incumbent in space optical communications with overlapping product categories to SA Photonics.
- General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems: General Atomics develops space systems including optical payloads and satellite communications for defense customers. It competes with SA Photonics in supplying advanced optical communications hardware to U.S. government programs.
Emerging players
- BridgeComm: BridgeComm provides free-space optical communications solutions for space and terrestrial applications. It is a smaller, emerging competitor to SA Photonics with overlapping FSO terminal technology targeting commercial and government customers.
- Skyloom Global: Skyloom is developing optical inter-satellite link terminals for LEO broadband constellations and defense applications. It is an emerging player competing in the same LEO OISL market segment that SA Photonics' CrossBeam targets.
Others
- SpaceX (Starlink laser links): SpaceX designs and manufactures its own laser inter-satellite links for the Starlink constellation in-house. While not a buyer of SA Photonics' products, SpaceX sets the cost and performance benchmark for LEO OISL and is the dominant volume deployer of optical crosslinks.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
SA Photonics social profiles
Digital presenceSA Photonics financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
SA Photonics leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
SA Photonics funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
SA Photonics 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 SA Photonics
What does SA Photonics do?
SA Photonics designs, manufactures, and develops free-space optical communications terminals and laser-based hardware for space-based applications, including Optical Inter-Satellite Links (OISL) and satellite crosslink systems. Its products, notably the CrossBeam and SkyLight terminals, support U.S. government missions across low earth, medium earth, and geostationary orbits, as well as deep space exploration programs for customers such as NASA.
Is SA Photonics a public or private company?
SA Photonics is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently acquired.
When was SA Photonics founded?
SA Photonics was founded in 2002. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is SA Photonics based?
SA Photonics is headquartered in Los Gatos, United States, in the North America region.
How does SA Photonics make money?
One revenue line is on record: optical Communications Hardware Sales.
Who are SA Photonics's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Mynaric and Tesat-Spacecom. Broad incumbents are Ball Aerospace, Honeywell Aerospace, L3Harris Technologies, Thales Alenia Space and General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems. Emerging players are BridgeComm and Skyloom Global. SpaceX (Starlink laser links) is listed as an others.
Does SA Photonics have an API?
No public API is recorded for SA Photonics.
What industry is SA Photonics in?
SA Photonics's product category is Free-Space Optical Communications Hardware. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMABACAD, Space Payloads & Instruments (Sensors, Comms, EO/IR), with a secondary code of HDAFAIAM, Satellite Broadband Terminals & Gateways (VSAT/LEO CPE). Its NAICS code is 336414 and its SIC code is 3760.