NewSpace Systems
NewSpace Systems manufactures Guidance, Navigation and Control (GNC) hardware — sun sensors, reaction wheels, magnetorquer rods, magnetometers, GPS receivers, antennas, and RF transmitters — for commercial and institutional spacecraft manufacturers and constellation operators across 33+ countries.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersSomerset West, South Africa
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What NewSpace Systems does
NewSpace Systems (Pty) Ltd manufactures and sells spacecraft components and sub-systems, with a core focus on Guidance, Navigation and Control (GNC) hardware for small satellites and constellation programmes. The product portfolio covers all major ADCS functions: AQUILA sun sensors (albedo-immune digital architecture, 1,000+ units delivered), Libra reaction wheels (T065 has 3+ million failure-free in-orbit hours with zero reported SEUs), Taurus magnetorquer rods (magnetic-alloy amplifying technology, 7,000+ units sold), Pegasus magnetometers (AMR-based tri-axial sensors co-developed with Imperial College London, 400+ units sold), Gemini GPS/GNSS receivers (heritage chipset with 10+ years flight history), LYRA antennas (S-band and Ka-band), and LYNX RF transmitters (X-band and Ka-band, up to 400 Mbps, CCSDS 131.3 compliant). Special projects include the Glide2 GPS-guided parafoil system (ESA GSTP-funded) for precision payload recovery, plus the MicroSat Closed-Loop integrated ADCS solution and Draco Stellar Gyro.
The company is headquartered in Somerset West, South Africa, with subsidiaries in Denver (US), Didcot (UK), and Napier (New Zealand), supported by a channel partner network in seven countries across five continents. Manufacturing runs in ISO 14644-1 Class 7 cleanrooms using ISO 9001:2015 quality systems, with technicians trained to ECSS standards by ESA-certified instructors (including NSS-UK MD John Moth). Products are baselined on more than eight global constellation programmes supporting 500+ satellites, with named customers including Synspective (StriX 30-satellite SAR constellation), the Kinéis nanosatellite IoT constellation (via Hemeria Group), OneWeb, and Planet. Distribution is sales-led and event-driven (Space Symposium, IAC, Small Satellite Conference, Space Tech Expo Europe), with a quote-based pricing model for both off-the-shelf catalogue products and bespoke custom-engineered solutions. Revenue is hardware-driven across spacecraft component sales (sun sensors, reaction wheels, magnetorquer rods, magnetometers, GPS receivers, antennas, RF transmitters), custom solutions development, and integrated space systems packages; CEO James Barrington-Brown disclosed the company was approaching US$10 million annual turnover with 80%+ prior-year growth, and manufacturing capacity had been expanded ten-fold to serve constellation-scale demand.
NewSpace Systems firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- NewSpace Systems
- Legal name
- NewSpace Systems (Pty) Ltd
- Website
- https://newspacesystems.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- NewSpace Systems manufactures Guidance, Navigation and Control (GNC) hardware — sun sensors, reaction wheels, magnetorquer rods, magnetometers, GPS receivers, antennas, and RF transmitters — for commercial and institutional spacecraft manufacturers and constellation operators across 33+ countries.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
NewSpace Systems industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Spacecraft GN&C Components
- NAICS
- Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical, and Nautical System and Instrument Manufacturing (334511)
- SIC
- Guided Missiles & Space Vehicles & Parts (3760), Search, Detection, Navagation, Guidance, Aeronautical Sys (3812)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Guidance, Navigation & Control (GNC) for Space Systems (IMABACAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Spacecraft Avionics, Flight Computers & Software (IMABACAI), Space Payloads & Instruments (Sensors, Comms, EO/IR) (IMABACAD)
Keywords
Where NewSpace Systems is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Somerset West
- HQ country
- South Africa
- HQ region
- Africa
Offices4 records
Markets served
NewSpace Systems business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Spacecraft Components Hardware Sales: Sale of flight-proven, off-the-shelf GNC products including sun sensors, reaction wheels, magnetorquer rods, magnetometers, GPS receivers, antennas, and RF transmitters. Products are sold individually or as integrated sub-systems for spacecraft manufacturers.
- Custom Solutions Development: Collaborative development of custom solutions tailored to specific mission requirements. Customers can customize individual products or opt for fully custom solutions. Includes custom reaction wheel configurations and magnetorquer rod specifications.
- Space Systems Integration: MicroSat Closed-Loop solutions and integrated ADCS packages for constellation programmes, supporting both standard and custom integration requirements.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Multi-year contract | Standard Product Catalog |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Custom Solutions |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels9 records
NewSpace Systems product offering
Product offeringCore offering
NewSpace Systems designs, manufactures, and sells space-grade Guidance, Navigation and Control (GNC) hardware and sub-systems for small satellites — covering attitude determination (sun sensors, magnetometers, stellar gyros), attitude control (reaction wheels, magnetorquer rods), positioning/navigation (GPS receivers and antennas), and RF communications (S-band / Ka-band antennas and X-band / Ka-band transmitters/transceivers). Products are sold as off-the-shelf catalog items or as custom / fit-for-purpose solutions, including the MicroSat Closed-Loop integrated ADCS package, and are built in ISO 9001:2015 / ISO 14644-1 Class 7 cleanrooms by ESA-accredited technicians following ECSS standards.
Product overview
NewSpace Systems (NSS) is a spacecraft components and sub-systems manufacturer offering a comprehensive portfolio of Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GNC) products. The product line centers on attitude determination and control components including AQUILA Sun Sensors, Libra Reaction Wheels, Taurus Magnetorquer Rods, and Pegasus Magnetometers for precise spacecraft orientation. Navigation is addressed through Gemini GPS/GNSS Receivers, while communications are handled by LYRA Antennas (S-band and Ka-band) and LYNX RF Transmitters supporting X-band and Ka-band frequencies. Special projects include the Glide2 GPS-guided parafoil system for payload recovery. All products feature space-grade reliability with extensive in-orbit heritage, ECSS standards compliance, and are manufactured in ISO-certified cleanrooms by ESA-accredited technicians.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- AQUILA: Sun sensor product line providing reliable and accurate sun-angle measurements for spacecraft attitude determination and control
- Gemini
- Libra
- Taurus
- Lynx
- LYRA
- Pegasus
- Draco
Products and services
- AQUILA Sun Sensors Digital-architecture sun sensors that determine spacecraft orientation with respect to the sun, providing reliable and accurate sun-angle measurements for attitude determination and control on small satellites and constellations.
- Libra Reaction Wheels High-performance reaction wheels providing spacecraft control torque and momentum exchange for agile small-satellite missions, available in standard sizes with custom flywheel configurations.
- Taurus Magnetorquer Rods Magnetic-alloy magnetorquer rods for spacecraft attitude control through interaction with Earth's magnetic field, requiring less power and less susceptible to magnetic-torque variation than air-cored magnetorquers.
- Pegasus Magnetometers Tri-axial magnetometers using AMR sensors with offset-compensating circuitry, providing x-, y-, and z-axis magnetic field measurements with temperature compensation for spacecraft attitude determination.
- Gemini GPS/GNSS Receivers L1-frequency GPS receivers based on a heritage GPS chipset, providing accurate orbital position determination at low cost for SmallSat constellations, with built-in latch-up protection.
- LYRA Antennas High-reliability S-band and Ka-band antennas for spacecraft communications and navigation, supporting telemetry, tracking and command (TT&C), inter-satellite links, SAR, Earth observation and high-speed data downlink.
- LYNX RF Transmitters & Transceivers X-band and Ka-band high data-rate RF transmitters and transceivers for Earth Exploration-Satellite Service (EESS) payload data downlink and inter-satellite data links, supporting up to 400 Mbps with adaptive modulation.
- Draco Stellar Gyro Stellar gyro for inertial rate control and attitude determination in spacecraft applications, complementing NSS sun sensors and magnetometers in the attitude determination product family.
- MicroSat Closed-Loop Solution Closed-loop attitude control solution for MicroSat-class satellites, integrating multiple NSS catalog products into a complete spacecraft control sub-system for standard or custom integration requirements.
- Glide2 GPS-Guided Parafoil System GPS-guided parafoil system targeted at precision recovery and return of payloads, rocket boosters and space vehicles from space, enabling high-altitude cargo delivery to within ~50 metres of a predefined landing site.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 155 satellites launched with NSS hardware in first half of 2021 alone
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use NewSpace Systems
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
NewSpace Systems technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature7 records
NewSpace Systems partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and strategic.
- European Space Agency (ESA)coreESA awarded GSTP contract to NewSpace Systems Ltd to define architecture for GPS-guided parafoil system targeted at precision recovery/return of payloads, rocket boosters and space vehicles from space.
- Vorticity LtdminorUK SME contracted by NewSpace Systems Ltd to perform simulation work for Glide2 parafoil system study, advancing European capability for parafoil system design and simulation.
- ESAcoreESA-certified instructors conducted training and certification of NSS technicians at South African manufacturing facility. ESA accreditation ensures technicians meet rigorous space standards (ECSS) for manufacturing.
- International Academy of Astronautics (IAA)coreNSS served as Local Hosting Organisation for 1st IAA African Symposium on Small Satellites, supporting space development in Africa and providing platform for regional and international peer connections.
- Space Institute at Auckland UniversitystrategicAcademic partnership in New Zealand where NSS sponsors PhD student and collaborates on next-generation reaction wheel assemblies and deployable spacecraft structures development.
- SynspectivecoreTokyo-based SAR satellite constellation operator partnered with NSS for ADCS products. First StriX satellite launched December 2020 with constellation planned for 30 satellites.
- Hemeria GroupcoreHemeria team selected NSS to provide ADCS products for Kinéis nanosatellite constellation, a French IoT connectivity constellation programme.
Scale indicators16 records
Recent moves10 records
Expansion highlights6 records
NewSpace Systems competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- AAC Clyde Space: UK-based manufacturer of small satellite subsystems, including attitude control, power, and communication modules. Directly comparable as a merchant supplier of smallsat components to commercial constellation operators.
- GomSpace: Danish/Swedish supplier of nanosatellite subsystems and components, including ADCS, communication, and power systems. Closely comparable in product scope (cubesat/smallsat subsystems) and target customer base (commercial constellations).
- Blue Canyon Technologies: US-based provider of smallsat components and full spacecraft buses, including reaction wheels, star trackers, and ADCS subsystems. Highly comparable in GNC component offering and smallsat focus.
- Innovative Solutions In Space (ISIS): Dutch smallsat subsystem and launch services provider offering ADCS components, communications, and complete cubesat platforms. Comparable as a peer merchant supplier serving European and global constellation customers.
- NanoAvionics: Lithuanian smallsat bus and subsystem manufacturer (now part of Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace) supplying ADCS, propulsion, and avionics. Comparable in mission profile and customer overlap.
- Sitael: Italian smallsat platform and subsystem manufacturer offering ADCS, propulsion, and complete microsatellite buses. Comparable as a European smallsat components supplier serving commercial constellations.
Broad incumbents
- Beyond Gravity: Swiss/European aerospace supplier (formerly RUAG Space) providing structures, mechanisms, and GNC subsystems to major primes. Comparable as a broader incumbent offering overlapping ADCS components to constellation programmes.
- Honeywell Aerospace: Large US aerospace prime supplying reaction wheels, inertial sensors, and GNC subsystems across commercial and government spacecraft programmes. Comparable as a broad incumbent in the same components category with deeper pockets.
- Rocket Lab: US launch and space systems company whose Space Systems division (formerly Sinclair Interplanetary, SincLair, SolAero, PSC) supplies reaction wheels, star trackers, and complete spacecraft buses. Comparable as a broad incumbent with overlapping ADCS offerings.
- L3Harris Technologies: Large US defense and space prime supplying inertial measurement units, star trackers, reaction wheels, and full spacecraft GNC subsystems. Comparable as a broad incumbent serving similar commercial and government satellite customers.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
NewSpace Systems social profiles
Digital presenceNewSpace Systems compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance4 records
NewSpace Systems financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
NewSpace Systems leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
NewSpace Systems subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries3 records
NewSpace Systems funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
NewSpace Systems 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 NewSpace Systems
What does NewSpace Systems do?
NewSpace Systems designs, manufactures, and sells space-grade Guidance, Navigation and Control (GNC) hardware and sub-systems for small satellites — covering attitude determination (sun sensors, magnetometers, stellar gyros), attitude control (reaction wheels, magnetorquer rods), positioning/navigation (GPS receivers and antennas), and RF communications (S-band / Ka-band antennas and X-band / Ka-band transmitters/transceivers). Products are sold as off-the-shelf catalog items or as custom / fit-for-purpose solutions, including the MicroSat Closed-Loop integrated ADCS package, and are built in ISO 9001:2015 / ISO 14644-1 Class 7 cleanrooms by ESA-accredited technicians following ECSS standards.
Is NewSpace Systems a public or private company?
NewSpace Systems is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was NewSpace Systems founded?
NewSpace Systems was founded in 2015. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is NewSpace Systems based?
NewSpace Systems is headquartered in Somerset West, South Africa, in the Africa region.
How does NewSpace Systems make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Spacecraft Components Hardware Sales are the primary driver. The others are custom Solutions Development and space Systems Integration.
Who are NewSpace Systems's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are AAC Clyde Space, GomSpace, Blue Canyon Technologies, Innovative Solutions In Space (ISIS), NanoAvionics and Sitael. Broad incumbents are Beyond Gravity, Honeywell Aerospace, Rocket Lab and L3Harris Technologies.
Does NewSpace Systems have an API?
No public API is recorded for NewSpace Systems.
What industry is NewSpace Systems in?
NewSpace Systems's product category is Spacecraft GN&C Components. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMABACAG, Guidance, Navigation & Control (GNC) for Space Systems, with a secondary code of IMABACAI, Spacecraft Avionics, Flight Computers & Software. Its NAICS code is 334511 and its SIC code is 3760.