Space Environment Technologies
Space Environment Technologies builds space physics models, radiation-monitoring instruments, and operational data feeds used by NASA, the U.S. Space Force, NOAA, and commercial space operators for satellite protection, aviation safety, and space weather forecasting.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2001
- HeadquartersPacific Palisades, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Space Environment Technologies does
Space Environment Technologies (SET), founded in 2001 by Dr. W. Kent Tobiska, is a privately held, founder-controlled scientific services and instrumentation firm headquartered in Pacific Palisades, California, with an operational office in Boulder, Colorado. The company builds space physics models, custom radiation-measurement instruments, and operational data feeds that serve U.S. government agencies (NASA, U.S. Space Force, NOAA), academic researchers, and commercial space operators. Its product suite is organized into three lines: radiation decision aids (ARMAS, NAIRAS, RADIAN), satellite protection (HASDM, JB2008, ORBIS, GEOPOT 08), and space weather mitigation (SpaceWx Alert Monitor, Solar Irradiance Platform). The JB2008 thermospheric density model has been adopted as a COSPAR and ISO international standard and is operationally deployed by the U.S. Air Force/Space Force for satellite catalog accuracy.
The company's revenue model combines instrument and hardware sales (ARMAS flight modules and related payloads), recurring data and subscription services for atmospheric density and radiation feeds, and government-funded research via NASA SBIR grants and direct contracts. Distribution is direct enterprise sales to government and commercial space operators, supplemented by an eCommerce storefront on spacewx.com. SET monetizes its intellectual property through authoritative positioning: authorship of ISO 14222, ISO 21348, and multiple AIAA standards, combined with continuous measurement programs (12+ ARMAS generations, ARGOS high-altitude UAVs, lunar and stratospheric flight campaigns) that create unique, hard-to-replicate data assets. Recent operational milestones include the 2024 ARMAS Dual Monitor stratospheric balloon flight with World View Enterprises and the February 2025 ARMAS FM11 lunar mission aboard Intuitive Machines' IM-2 lander.
Space Environment Technologies firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Space Environment Technologies
- Legal name
- Space Environment Technologies
- Website
- https://spacewx.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2001
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Space Environment Technologies builds space physics models, radiation-monitoring instruments, and operational data feeds used by NASA, the U.S. Space Force, NOAA, and commercial space operators for satellite protection, aviation safety, and space weather forecasting.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Space Environment Technologies industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Space Weather Monitoring and Aerospace Radiation Data Services
- NAICS
- Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Manufacturing (336414)
- SIC
- Guided Missiles & Space Vehicles & Parts (3760), Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Space Payloads & Instruments (Sensors, Comms, EO/IR) (IMABACAD)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Space Defense & Missile Warning (BPAIAHAF)
Keywords
Where Space Environment Technologies is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Pacific Palisades
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Space Environment Technologies business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Instruments and Hardware Sales: Sale of specialized radiation measurement instruments including ARMAS flight modules and related hardware to government and commercial customers.
- Data Services and Subscriptions: Operational data feeds and real-time monitoring services providing space weather data, radiation measurements, and atmospheric density predictions to agencies and commercial operators.
- Research Contracts and SBIR Grants: NASA SBIR grants and government research contracts supporting technology development.
- eCommerce Platform Sales: Direct sales through SET's ecommerce website for products, services, and subscriptions.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Space Environment Technologies product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Space Environment Technologies develops space physics models, innovative instruments, and operational data feeds for space weather monitoring, radiation measurement, and atmospheric density prediction. Its product portfolio spans radiation decision aids (ARMAS, NAIRAS, RADIAN), satellite protection systems (HASDM, JB2008, ORBIS, GEOPOT 08), and space weather mitigation tools (SpaceWx Alert Monitor, Solar Irradiance Platform), serving government space agencies, defense organizations, commercial space companies, and academic researchers globally.
Product overview
Space Environment Technologies offers a comprehensive suite of space weather and radiation monitoring products organized into three main categories: Radiation Decision Aids (ARMAS, NAIRAS, RADIAN), Satellite Protection (HASDM, JB2008, ORBIS, GEOPOT 08), and Space Weather Mitigation (SpaceWx Alert Monitor, Solar Irradiance Platform). ARMAS serves as the flagship real-time radiation monitoring system spanning from atmosphere to lunar environments. HASDM and JB2008 form the foundation for satellite drag and orbital prediction services. The ARGOS platform extends capabilities to high-altitude balloon-based measurements. These products integrate state-of-the-art measurements with advanced physics-based and ML-enhanced models to deliver operational data feeds for agencies, academia, and commercial space missions.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- ARMAS: Automated Radiation Measurements for Aerospace Safety - radiation monitoring system providing historical, current, and forecast radiation exposure risk data for humans, used in aerospace and aviation applications.
- ARGOS
- NAIRAS
- RADIAN
- HASDM
- JB2008
- ORBIS
- Solar Irradiance Platform (SIP)
Products and services
- ARMAS (Automated Radiation Measurements for Aerospace Safety) Real-time radiation monitoring system providing historical, current, and forecast radiation exposure data for aerospace safety. Measures galactic cosmic rays, solar energetic particles, and radiation belt contributions from atmosphere through deep space to lunar environments. Designed for space agencies, commercial space missions, and aviation operators.
- NAIRAS (Nowcast of Ionizing Radiation at Aerospace Altitudes) Real-time atmospheric ionizing radiation model and data system providing aviation radiation exposure forecasts and historical data for airline operations and passenger safety.
- RADIAN (Radiation Decision Aid) Radiation detection and analysis system providing actionable radiation risk data for space weather mitigation and operational decision support.
- HASDM (High Accuracy Satellite Drag Model) Data assimilative system providing real-time global thermospheric density corrections for accurate satellite orbit computation and collision avoidance. Includes HASDM-ML variant with uncertainty quantification for space traffic management. Operationally used by U.S. Space Force.
- JB2008 (Empirical Thermospheric Density Model) NASA/Air Force standard model for predicting atmospheric density variations affecting satellite drag and orbital decay. Adopted as the COSPAR International Reference Atmosphere and ISO 14222 standard, and used operationally by U.S. Air Force Space Command for LEO satellite catalog.
- ARGOS (Aeronautical Regional Geospatial Observer System) Lightweight autonomous UAV-based flight platform providing high-altitude atmospheric and radiation measurements for aviation safety, space weather research, and operational data services.
- ORBIS (Radiation Belts Monitoring) Radiation belt monitoring and analysis system providing situational awareness of Van Allen radiation belt dynamics and geomagnetic storm impacts on satellite operations.
- Solar Irradiance Platform (SIP) Full disk solar spectral irradiance monitoring portal providing data for understanding solar activity impacts on Earth's atmosphere and space weather forecasting. Underpins the SOLAR2000 specification developed with NOAA collaboration.
- SpaceWx Alert Monitor (SAM) Real-time space weather alert and risk monitoring system providing notifications on solar activity, geomagnetic storms, and radiation events affecting aviation and satellite operations.
- GEOPOT 08 Geopotential model for atmospheric analysis supporting thermospheric density calculations and satellite drag predictions.
Quantifiable outcome
- Most significant thermospheric density improvement since 1960s with JB2008 model
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Space Environment Technologies
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Space Environment Technologies technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability3 records
Feature9 records
Space Environment Technologies partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
16 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- NASAcoreNASA Flight Opportunities Program and SBIR grants supporting ARMAS technology maturation to TRL 9. NASA programs funded 12 generations of ARMAS instruments over 15 years. SET participates in lunar missions through NASA-supported commercial programs.
- World View EnterprisescoreStratollite balloon flights carrying ARMAS instruments for stratospheric radiation monitoring. Historic 28-day continuous flight at 16-22 km altitude and ARMAS Dual Monitor missions.
- Intuitive MachinescoreARMAS FM11 flew aboard Intuitive Machines IM-2 lunar mission as part of Lonestar Data Holding's Freedom Payload, collecting first extraterrestrial radiation data to lunar surface.
- Lonestar Data HoldingmajorPartnership for lunar mission data collection with ARMAS FM11 as part of Freedom Payload in conjunction with SpaceBilt on IM-2 mission.
- SpaceBilt Inc.majorSpaceBilt developed lunar lander payload integration for ARMAS FM11 on Intuitive Machines IM-2 mission.
- U.S. Space ForcecoreU.S. Space Force operational use of HASDM for real-time thermospheric density corrections for satellite orbit computation and collision avoidance.
- NOAAcoreNOAA Space Weather Prediction Center collaboration. CRADA for SOLAR2000 solar irradiance specification. NOAA SWPC 27-day forecasts used in orbital decay analyses.
- California Institute of TechnologyminorAcademic partner with logo displayed on SET website for research collaboration.
- University of Colorado BoulderminorAcademic partner for research collaboration in space weather and atmospheric physics.
- University of Southern CaliforniaminorUSC Space Sciences Center collaboration on SOHO SEM instrument evolution into JB2008 S10 index and ARMAS development.
- OmitronminorJB2008 model partnership with Omitron and USAFSPC for operational satellite drag prediction.
- Dartmouth CollegeminorAcademic partner with logo displayed on SET website for research collaboration.
- West Virginia UniversityminorAcademic partner with logo displayed on SET website for research collaboration.
- UCLAminorAcademic partner with logo displayed on SET website for research collaboration.
- San Diego State UniversityminorAcademic partner with logo displayed on SET website for research collaboration.
- University of MarylandminorAcademic partner with logo displayed on SET website for research collaboration.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Space Environment Technologies competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- ExoAnalytic Solutions: Space domain awareness company offering optical tracking, sensor networks, and analytics for Space Force and commercial satellite operators — adjacent competitor in space situational awareness data services.
Broad incumbents
- UK Met Office Space Weather Operations Centre: Government provider of operational space weather services for aviation, defense, and critical infrastructure across the UK and Europe — comparable in mission scope (forecasts, alerts, aviation radiation) to SET's data services.
- Ball Aerospace (BAE Systems Space & Mission Systems): Large prime contractor that builds space-qualified instruments and payloads for NASA/DoD — comparable to SET's ARMAS flight modules but at far greater scale and broader mission scope.
- L3Harris Technologies: Major defense prime that supplies space weather sensors (e.g., on GOES satellites) and radiation monitoring payloads — competes with SET's instrument business in the broader space-qualified sensor market.
- AGI (Ansys): Provider of Systems Tool Kit (STK) and mission analysis software used across aerospace for orbital mechanics and space situational awareness — comparable in modeling/simulation tooling for satellite drag and conjunction analysis.
- Parsons Corporation: Defense and space systems integrator with significant space domain awareness and missile warning work — comparable in customer base (Space Force, intelligence community) and overlapping in space weather-adjacent mission support.
- NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC): U.S. government primary source for space weather forecasts, alerts, and real-time solar/geomagnetic data; overlaps directly with SET's SpaceWx Alert Monitor and Solar Irradiance Platform offerings as both a partner and adjacent provider.
Direct peers
- Slingshot Aerospace: Space domain awareness and space situational awareness company serving commercial and DoD customers with data, analytics, and visualization — adjacent to SET's satellite protection (HASDM, ORBIS) and space traffic management offerings.
- LeoLabs: Provider of commercial space traffic management and LEO collision avoidance services using a global radar network — directly comparable to SET's HASDM-based satellite catalog accuracy and collision avoidance work for Space Force.
- Atmospheric and Environmental Research (AER): Private atmospheric and space weather modeling firm (acquired by Verisk in 2018) that builds operational models for DoD, NASA, NOAA, and commercial satellite operators — the closest commercial analog to SET's HASDM/JB2008 business.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Space Environment Technologies social profiles
Digital presenceSpace Environment Technologies financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Space Environment Technologies leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
Space Environment Technologies funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Space Environment Technologies 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 Environment Technologies
What does Space Environment Technologies do?
Space Environment Technologies develops space physics models, innovative instruments, and operational data feeds for space weather monitoring, radiation measurement, and atmospheric density prediction. Its product portfolio spans radiation decision aids (ARMAS, NAIRAS, RADIAN), satellite protection systems (HASDM, JB2008, ORBIS, GEOPOT 08), and space weather mitigation tools (SpaceWx Alert Monitor, Solar Irradiance Platform), serving government space agencies, defense organizations, commercial space companies, and academic researchers globally.
Is Space Environment Technologies a public or private company?
Space Environment Technologies is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Space Environment Technologies founded?
Space Environment Technologies was founded in 2001. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Space Environment Technologies based?
Space Environment Technologies is headquartered in Pacific Palisades, United States, in the North America region.
How does Space Environment Technologies make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Instruments and Hardware Sales are the primary driver. The others are data Services and Subscriptions, research Contracts and SBIR Grants and eCommerce Platform Sales.
Who are Space Environment Technologies's main competitors?
ExoAnalytic Solutions is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are UK Met Office Space Weather Operations Centre, Ball Aerospace (BAE Systems Space & Mission Systems), L3Harris Technologies, AGI (Ansys), Parsons Corporation and NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC). Direct peers are Slingshot Aerospace, LeoLabs and Atmospheric and Environmental Research (AER).
Does Space Environment Technologies have an API?
No public API is recorded for Space Environment Technologies.
What industry is Space Environment Technologies in?
Space Environment Technologies's product category is Space Weather Monitoring and Aerospace Radiation Data Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMABACAD, Space Payloads & Instruments (Sensors, Comms, EO/IR), with a secondary code of BPAIAHAF, Space Defense & Missile Warning. Its NAICS code is 336414 and its SIC code is 3760.