SpaceLink
SpaceLink was building a Medium Earth Orbit satellite relay constellation with optical intersatellite links to provide secure, continuous, high-bandwidth data communications for defense, civil space, and commercial Earth observation customers before ceasing operations in 2022.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2020
- HeadquartersMclean, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What SpaceLink does
SpaceLink Corporation was a U.S. satellite relay services company that planned to operate a constellation of four satellites in Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) to provide secure, continuous, high-bandwidth communications between Low Earth Orbit (LEO), MEO, and GEO spacecraft and dedicated ground gateways. The system combined optical intersatellite links (OISL) branded "Always in Sight" with RF communications, targeting 100% line-of-sight access, 26 Gbps raw data throughput, and end-to-end latencies as low as 150 milliseconds — a substantial improvement over the approximately 6% ground-station visibility window typical for LEO operators. The Mojave Air & Space Port gateway facility housed RF and optical terminals on a five-acre parcel with redundant fiber backhaul to Los Angeles and San Francisco Bay Area data centers, and the network operations center interconnected with AWS and Microsoft Azure for terrestrial data delivery.
The company served four primary customer segments: Defense & Intelligence (U.S. Army, DARPA, intelligence community), NASA/Civil Space (positioning itself as a TDRSS alternative), Human Spaceflight (ISS and future commercial stations via Axiom Space), and Commercial Earth Observation operators needing real-time tasking and downlink. Notable engagements included a CRADA with USASMDC-TC, a Space-BACN contract from DARPA (partnering with Parsons Corporation), a NASA Near Space Network integration study, and a CASIS-funded ISS demonstration using a 10 Gbps optical terminal.
SpaceLink was incorporated in September 2020 as a wholly owned U.S. subsidiary of Electro Optic Systems Holdings Limited (ASX: EOS), an Australian-listed company. It operated from headquarters in McLean, Virginia, with offices in Mountain View, California, and Huntsville, Alabama, and a 32-37 person team. The business model envisioned recurring subscription revenue from relay services supplemented by government contract revenue, with management forecasting near-term revenue potential exceeding $150M per year and long-term potential in the billions. However, SpaceLink ceased operations in late 2022 after parent company EOS experienced financial difficulty and was unable to raise the planned $50-75M initial equity tranche, and the company entered an Assignment for the Benefit of Creditors process administered by Stapleton.
SpaceLink firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- SpaceLink
- Legal name
- SpaceLink Corporation
- Website
- https://eosspacelink.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2020
- Operating status
- Closed
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- SpaceLink was building a Medium Earth Orbit satellite relay constellation with optical intersatellite links to provide secure, continuous, high-bandwidth data communications for defense, civil space, and commercial Earth observation customers before ceasing operations in 2022.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
SpaceLink industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Satellite Data Relay Services
- NAICS
- Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Manufacturing (336414), Satellite Telecommunications (5174), Other Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Parts and Auxiliary Equipment Manufacturing (336419)
- SIC
- Guided Missiles & Space Vehicles & Parts (3760), Search, Detection, Navagation, Guidance, Aeronautical Sys (3812)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Satellite Network Operations & Capacity Services (NOC, Capacity Leasing, Managed Payload Services) (HDAIAJAI)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Satellite Backhaul & Trunking for Telecom Operators (Cellular Backhaul, Roaming Extension) (HDAIAJAC), Space Payloads & Instruments (Sensors, Comms, EO/IR) (IMABACAD), Satellite Broadband Terminals & Gateways (VSAT/LEO CPE) (HDAFAIAM)
Keywords
Where SpaceLink is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Mclean
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices4 records
Markets served
SpaceLink business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations
Revenue model
- Satellite Relay Services: SpaceLink planned to generate recurring revenue from providing secure, continuous, high-bandwidth satellite relay services to spacecraft operators, government agencies, and commercial space companies. The business model forecasted near-term revenue potential exceeding $150M per year, with billion-dollar long-term potential.
- Government Contracts: Contract revenue from government agencies including NASA for technology demonstrations and DARPA for Space-BACN program development.
- ISS Demo Services: Funded demonstration with CASIS for ISS National Laboratory validating end-to-end relay service capabilities.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Service pricing not publicly disclosed |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels10 records
SpaceLink product offering
Product offeringCore offering
SpaceLink is building a satellite data relay system in Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) using optical intersatellite links (OISL) and RF communications to provide secure, continuous, high-bandwidth data relay between LEO, MEO, and GEO spacecraft and dedicated gateway Earth stations. Branded Always in Sight™, the service is targeted at defense, intelligence, civil space, Earth observation, and human spaceflight customers with a planned four-satellite MEO constellation providing 26 Gbps raw data transfer capacity and latencies as low as 150 milliseconds from reception to delivery.
Product overview
SpaceLink offers a unified satellite relay service centered on its 'Always in Sight™' brand, consisting of a Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) constellation of relay satellites that provide secure, continuous, high-bandwidth communications between spacecraft on orbit and ground users. The core offering includes the MEO Relay Constellation with both optical and RF intersatellite links. Service offerings span four mission categories: Satellite Data (for Earth observation companies), Human Spaceflight (for commercial stations and crews), Defense & Intelligence (for military and security forces), and Civil Space (for NASA and government agencies). Supporting infrastructure includes the Mojave Gateway facility with dedicated ground terminals. The system is designed to complement and exceed NASA's TDRSS capabilities, providing 100% line-of-sight access to LEO satellites and delivering data with latencies as low as 150 milliseconds.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Always in Sight™: A trademarked data relay service brand providing secure, continuous, high-bandwidth communications between spacecraft and the ground.
Products and services
- Always in Sight™ Satellite Data Relay Service Flagship data relay service branded Always in Sight™, providing secure, continuous, high-bandwidth communications between spacecraft on orbit (LEO, MEO, GEO) and ground users through a Medium Earth Orbit relay satellite constellation with optical intersatellite links and RF communications. Targeted at defense, intelligence, civil space, Earth observation, and human spaceflight customers.
- SpaceLink MEO Relay Constellation Planned constellation of four relay satellites in Medium Earth Orbit (MEO), equally spaced in equatorial orbit, featuring both optical and RF intersatellite links to provide 100% line-of-sight access to LEO, MEO, and GEO satellites and continuous connectivity to dedicated gateway Earth stations.
- Satellite Data Relay Service Enables LEO satellite operators to downlink data in real time without waiting for ground-station passes, optimizing access to satellite data for Earth observation companies and space commerce applications; addresses the limitation that satellites typically only download data over ground stations for ~6% of orbit with gaps of up to 8 hours between passes.
- Defense & Intelligence Relay Secure, low-latency data relay service for defense and intelligence operations providing resilient connectivity to support demanding military missions with latency measured in milliseconds for tactical decision-making, real-time tasking and direct downlink of mission critical data, SAR imagery and intelligence delivery, and reduced sensor-to-shooter timelines.
- Civil Space Communications High-capacity relay service for NASA, NOAA, NSF, and other civil government space agencies needing Earth observation, weather data, NSF research data, and civil space mission connectivity; positioned as a commercial alternative to the TDRSS system using over 21 GHz of licensed radio frequency spectrum.
- Human Spaceflight Communications Provides continuous, always-on connectivity for commercial space stations, orbital journeys, sub-orbital trips, and long-term residency at space outposts, supporting voice, video, and data communications for crew, tourists, researchers, and medical information, and scientific data downlink.
- Mojave Gateway Primary U.S. Gateway located at Mojave Air & Space Port at Rutan Field, featuring RF and optical terminals on a five-acre parcel with redundant high-capacity fiber backhaul to data centers in Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area.
- ISS National Lab Relay Service Demonstration Funded demonstration service on the International Space Station validating end-to-end relay service capabilities via a 10 Gbps optical terminal for real-time voice, video, and data exchange between ISS crew, onboard systems, experiments, and terrestrial users.
Quantifiable outcome
- Latency reduced from hours to 150 milliseconds
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use SpaceLink
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
SpaceLink technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration2 records
Feature6 records
SpaceLink partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.
- NASA Goddard Space Flight CentercoreNASA awarded contract to SpaceLink to study how commercial optical ground terminals will integrate into NASA's Near Space Network. Funded study includes demonstration of end-to-end transport of multi-source data at SpaceLink gateway in Mojave Desert.
- DARPAcoreSpaceLink was selected by DARPA Strategic Technology Office for Space-BACN program contract. SpaceLink will assist DARPA in studying and developing protocols for how commercial communications constellations will interact with Department of Defense systems in a Space-to-Space interconnected future.
- Parsons Corporation (NYSE: PSN)majorSpaceLink partnering with Parsons on Space-BACN technical approach combining Parsons' existing enterprise scheduling and tasking software with SpaceLink optical relay network to enable space-to-space optical communications terminals.
- U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command Technical Center (USASMDC-TC)coreSpaceLink entered into Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) to explore alternative space communications pathways ensuring resiliency and reducing sensor-to-shooter latency. Collaborative research and simulations will provide baseline of interoperability between Government systems and the SpaceLink network.
- Axiom SpacecoreSpaceLink named Axiom Space as Implementation Partner for demonstration of end-to-end relay service on ISS. Axiom serves as liaison to ensure interfaces and system requirements meet NASA standards, supporting mission integration, launch, and operations.
- CASIS (Center for the Advancement of Science in Space)coreCASIS selected SpaceLink for funded demonstration of end-to-end relay service on ISS National Laboratory. Demonstration validates use of 10 Gbps optical terminal for real-time voice, video, and data exchange between ISS crew, onboard systems, experiments, and terrestrial users.
- Amazon Web Services (AWS)majorTechnical demonstration using Amazon Web Services cloud infrastructure for end-to-end test of multi-source data moving from SpaceLink's Mojave Gateway facility to NASA's terrestrial network.
- Microsoft AzuremajorSpaceLink network operation center interconnects with top tier cloud providers including Azure for secure and reliable data delivery to end users.
- MynaricmajorSDA-compatible optical terminal supplier enabling interoperability standards for commercial use in SpaceLink's relay constellation.
- Blue Marble CommunicationsmajorSDA-compatible optical terminal supplier contributing to standards-based optical intersatellite link technology for SpaceLink network.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights5 records
SpaceLink competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Capella Space: Capella Space operates a commercial SAR constellation needing continuous, low-latency downlink — the exact use case SpaceLink targeted. As a buyer-type adjacent player, Capella exemplifies the EO operator demand profile that would feed a SpaceLink relay service.
- Atlas Space Operations: Atlas Space Operations provides ground-station-as-a-service for satellite operators, partially overlapping SpaceLink's 'data relay' value proposition from the RF/ground segment side. Comparable as an emerging player addressing the same latency/throughput constraints that SpaceLink aimed to solve from orbit.
Broad incumbents
- Iridium Communications: Iridium operates a LEO satellite constellation delivering voice and data services globally, including for defense and government customers. Comparable to SpaceLink in serving government/mobility markets with a non-terrestrial network, though using L-band LEO architecture rather than MEO optical relay.
- Inmarsat (Viasat): Inmarsat (now part of Viasat) provides global satellite communications across L-band and Ka-band with mobility, government, and enterprise solutions. It is a broad incumbent offering overlapping communications relay/connectivity services comparable to SpaceLink's defense, maritime, and aviation missions.
- Viasat: Viasat operates GEO and LEO satellite broadband networks serving commercial and government customers globally. Post-Inmarsat combination, Viasat is a broad incumbent overlapping with SpaceLink across defense, aviation, broadband, and managed satellite services.
Direct peers
- Telesat (Telesat Lightspeed): Telesat is building the Telesat Lightspeed LEO broadband constellation targeting enterprise, government, and mobility markets — a direct competitor for high-throughput, low-latency data relay and a comparable reference for capital-intensive space communications infrastructure.
- NASA TDRSS (Space Communications and Navigation program): NASA's Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS) is the legacy GEO relay network that SpaceLink explicitly positioned to complement/replace for civil space missions (NASA, NOAA, NSF). It is the incumbent directly targeted by SpaceLink's value proposition.
- SES (O3b mPOWER): SES operates the O3b mPOWER MEO constellation providing high-throughput, low-latency satellite connectivity — the closest direct competitor to SpaceLink's planned MEO optical relay, and the most relevant benchmark for service pricing, customer mix, and capital intensity in the MEO relay category.
Others
- Mynaric: Mynaric supplies SDA-compatible optical intersatellite link terminals used in SpaceLink's constellation. It is a key enabling technology supplier and a comparable investor/operator focal point in the optical space communications category.
- Parsons Corporation: Parsons is a SpaceLink partner on the DARPA Space-BACN program combining its enterprise scheduling/tasking software with SpaceLink's optical relay. Comparable as a technology/integration ecosystem participant adjacent to secure space communications.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
SpaceLink social profiles
Digital presenceSpaceLink financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
SpaceLink leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles16 records
SpaceLink funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
SpaceLink 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 SpaceLink
What does SpaceLink do?
SpaceLink is building a satellite data relay system in Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) using optical intersatellite links (OISL) and RF communications to provide secure, continuous, high-bandwidth data relay between LEO, MEO, and GEO spacecraft and dedicated gateway Earth stations. Branded Always in Sight™, the service is targeted at defense, intelligence, civil space, Earth observation, and human spaceflight customers with a planned four-satellite MEO constellation providing 26 Gbps raw data transfer capacity and latencies as low as 150 milliseconds from reception to delivery.
Is SpaceLink a public or private company?
SpaceLink is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently closed.
When was SpaceLink founded?
SpaceLink was founded in 2020. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is SpaceLink based?
SpaceLink is headquartered in Mclean, United States, in the North America region.
How does SpaceLink make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Satellite Relay Services are the primary driver. The others are government Contracts and ISS Demo Services.
Who are SpaceLink's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are Capella Space and Atlas Space Operations. Broad incumbents are Iridium Communications, Inmarsat (Viasat) and Viasat. Direct peers are Telesat (Telesat Lightspeed), NASA TDRSS (Space Communications and Navigation program) and SES (O3b mPOWER). Others are Mynaric and Parsons Corporation.
Does SpaceLink have an API?
No public API is recorded for SpaceLink.
What industry is SpaceLink in?
SpaceLink's product category is Satellite Data Relay Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDAIAJAI, Satellite Network Operations & Capacity Services (NOC, Capacity Leasing, Managed Payload Services), with a secondary code of HDAIAJAC, Satellite Backhaul & Trunking for Telecom Operators (Cellular Backhaul, Roaming Extension). Its NAICS code is 336414 and its SIC code is 3760.