Orbital Transports

What Orbital Transports does

Orbital Transports is a privately held Chicago-based space logistics company founded in 2018 that operates a single-point-of-procurement platform for the small satellite industry. The company targets small satellite builders and mission operators who lack the procurement bandwidth to source, qualify, and coordinate the global supplier base required for a CubeSat or microsatellite mission. Its core technology is a curated digital marketplace (the SmallSat Catalog) combined with managed supply chain services and a turn-key mission offering branded Get Spaceborne™, supported by an extensive partner network of more than 30 vetted component manufacturers and service providers.

The platform exposes hundreds of hardware, software, and service listings through a Browse → Request Info → Get Details workflow, while the supply chain services layer adds strategic sourcing, product quality assessment, import/export compliance, supplier coordination, and real-time supply chain transparency. Get Spaceborne™ extends the offering into mission execution, providing mission planning, regulatory compliance, payload integration, launch vehicle integration, and mission operations on a monthly rental model rather than a large up-front capital commitment. Orbital Transports monetizes through marketplace commissions on catalog-sourced procurement, professional services fees for managed supply chain engagements, and recurring monthly rental revenue from mission services.

The go-to-market combines content marketing and SEO-driven catalog discovery at the top of the funnel, partner referrals in mid-funnel, and consultative direct sales with a 24-hour response commitment at the bottom of the funnel. With 1-10 employees, no disclosed funding, and no publicly named customers, the company is at an early commercialization stage. The addressable opportunity is the fragmentation of the small satellite supply chain, where Orbital Transports aims to be the consolidated procurement interface for mission teams that prefer to outsource complex sourcing rather than build it in-house.

Name

Orbital Transports

Legal name

Orbital Transports

Website

https://orbitaltransports.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Orbital Transports is a Chicago-based space logistics company that provides a curated SmallSat Catalog, managed supply chain services, and a turn-key hosted payload mission service (Get Spaceborne™) to small satellite builders and mission operators.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Space Logistics Services

NAICS

Freight Transportation Arrangement (488510), Support Activities for Transportation (488), Freight Transportation Arrangement (48851)

SIC

Arrangement Of Transportation Of Freight & Cargo (4731), Transportation Services (4700)

akta.pro primary industry

Space Logistics & In-Orbit Servicing (Refueling, Tug, Debris Removal) (IMABACAM)

akta.pro secondary industry

Satellite Network Operations & Capacity Services (NOC, Capacity Leasing, Managed Payload Services) (HDAIAJAI)

Keywords

• Space logistics services
• Satellite procurement
• Smallsat supply chain
• Hosted payload rideshare
• Satellite mission services

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. SmallSat Catalog: Revenue generated from facilitating procurement of vetted hardware, software, and services through the online catalog. Customers browse the catalog and request information and pricing on products.
2. Supply Chain Services: Managed procurement, logistics, and supplier coordination services designed to keep missions on schedule. Includes supplier catalog access, strategic sourcing, product quality assessment, import/export compliance, and supplier coordination.
3. Import/Export Compliance Management: Licensing, duties, and regulatory compliance services managed across jurisdictions for international satellite hardware procurement.
4. Get Spaceborne™ Mission Services: Fully managed, turn-key mission service offering access to orbit through monthly rental model rather than large up-front capital. Includes mission planning, legal compliance, payload testing and integration, launch vehicle integration, and mission operations.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Orbital Transports operates a space logistics platform that simplifies and accelerates complex procurement cycles for small satellite missions. It delivers three offerings: (1) the SmallSat Catalog, a curated digital marketplace of vetted hardware, software, and services from qualified suppliers; (2) Supply Chain Services, providing managed procurement, logistics, strategic sourcing, quality assessment, supply chain transparency, and import/export compliance; and (3) Get Spaceborne™, a turn-key hosted payload mission service covering planning, legal compliance, payload integration, launch integration, and mission operations on a monthly rental basis.

Product overview

Orbital Transports operates a platform-plus-marketplace model consisting of three core offerings: the SmallSat Catalog (a curated marketplace connecting mission builders with vetted hardware, software, and services from qualified suppliers), Supply Chain Services (managed procurement, logistics, and supplier coordination), and Get Spaceborne™ (turn-key mission execution service including launch opportunities and hosted payload rideshare). The company functions as a space logistics infrastructure provider, simplifying complex procurement cycles for space missions through a single-point-of-procurement platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Get Spaceborne™: A fully managed, turn-key mission service providing fast, affordable access to orbit without building a company's own satellite. Handles mission planning, legal compliance, payload testing/integration, launch vehicle integration, and mission operations.
• SmallSat Catalog

Products and services

• SmallSat Catalog A curated digital portal (catalog.orbitaltransports.com) for discovering vetted hardware, software, and services for small satellite missions. Connects mission builders with hundreds of space technology products from qualified suppliers, allowing customers to browse, request information and pricing, and receive mission-ready details from the Orbital Transports team.
• Supply Chain Services Managed procurement, logistics, and supplier coordination services for small satellite missions from concept through completed mission. Includes supplier catalog access, strategic sourcing of mission-aligned alternatives, product quality assessment against certifications and qualification standards, supply chain transparency with real-time visibility into manufacturing timelines and delivery schedules, import/export licensing and compliance across jurisdictions, and ongoing supplier coordination and monitoring.
• Get Spaceborne™ A fully managed, turn-key mission execution service providing fast, affordable access to orbit through hosted payload rideshare on a monthly rental model. Handles end-to-end mission delivery including mission planning, legal/regulatory compliance, payload testing, payload integration with the host satellite, launch vehicle integration, and ongoing mission operations for use cases such as technology demonstration, sensor deployment, instrument validation, microgravity/biotech testing, in-orbit research, constellation prototyping, Earth observation, atmospheric research, astrophysics, edge computing, communications, space domain awareness, RF monitoring, and greenhouse gas monitoring.

Quantifiable outcome

• Get Spaceborne™ enables customers to deploy faster and beat competitors to orbit through a monthly rental model that replaces large up-front capital investment.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Alén SpacecoreTechnology or IntegrationAlén Space is featured as a core partner in Orbital Transports' network, appearing on both the main partners page and the homepage partner logos section. Alén Space provides satellite bus and subsystem solutions.
• Dawn AerospacecoreTechnology or IntegrationDawn Aerospace is listed as a key partner in Orbital Transports' network, appearing on both the partners page and homepage logos. Dawn Aerospace provides propulsion and spaceplane technologies.
• Ecuadorian Space AgencyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEcuadorian Space Agency is listed as a partner, representing a government space agency collaboration within the Orbital Transports network.
• EnduroSatcoreTechnology or IntegrationEnduroSat is featured as a core partner in Orbital Transports' network, appearing prominently on both the partners page and homepage partner logos. EnduroSat provides satellite buses and subsystems.
• Hyperion TechnologiescoreTechnology or IntegrationHyperion Technologies is featured as a core partner, appearing on both the partners page and homepage partner logos. Hyperion provides attitude determination and control systems (ADCS) and other satellite subsystems.
• IQ SpacecomcoreTechnology or IntegrationIQ Spacecom is featured as a core partner, appearing on both the partners page and homepage logos. IQ Spacecom provides satellite communications and antenna solutions.
• ISISpacecoreTechnology or IntegrationISISpace is featured as a core partner, appearing on both the partners page and homepage logos. ISISpace provides CubeSat structures, subsystems, and integration services.
• NanoAvionicscoreTechnology or IntegrationNanoAvionics is featured as a core partner providing micro-satellite platforms and integration services available through the Orbital Transports network.
• SpacemindcoreTechnology or IntegrationSpacemind is featured as a core partner, appearing on both the partners page and homepage logos. Spacemind provides software and mission solutions for small satellites.
• Tensor TechcoreTechnology or IntegrationTensor Tech is featured as a core partner, appearing on both the partners page and homepage partner logos. Tensor Tech provides reaction wheel and gimbal solutions for satellite attitude control.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Rocket Lab: Rocket Lab is a vertically integrated launch and smallsat services company offering buses, components, launch, and mission management — a much larger incumbent serving many of the same smallsat customers Orbital Transports targets through its marketplace.
• Astroscale: Astroscale operates in space logistics and on-orbit servicing, addressing satellite life extension and debris removal — adjacent to Orbital Transports' space logistics focus and overlapping in mission operator customers.
• Momentus: Momentus provides in-space transportation and orbital services for smallsats, positioning itself in the space logistics segment that Orbital Transports serves through its procurement and mission coordination platform.
• Firefly Aerospace: Firefly Aerospace acquired Spaceflight Inc., combining launch services with the rideshare aggregation business that directly parallels Orbital Transports' mission services and rideshare offering for smallsat operators.
• Nanoracks (Voyager Space): Nanoracks, now part of Voyager Space, is an established space services and infrastructure provider offering mission management, payload integration, and in-space services — overlapping with Orbital Transports' supply chain and mission services across a broader portfolio.

Direct peers

• Spaceflight Inc. Spaceflight Inc. provides launch rideshare aggregation and mission management services for smallsat operators, closely paralleling Orbital Transports' Get Spaceborne™ offering and its broader marketplace approach to smallsat mission procurement.
• Exolaunch: Exolaunch offers smallsat launch services, rideshare management, and in-orbit deployment services, directly competing with Orbital Transports' hosted payload and mission services for the same smallsat customer base.
• D-Orbit: D-Orbit provides in-orbit transportation, satellite deployment, and end-of-life services, operating in the space logistics and smallsat services category where Orbital Transports competes for mission operator customers.
• Loft Orbital: Loft Orbital provides hosted payload services that allow customers to fly instruments on shared satellite buses without building dedicated spacecraft, directly competing with Orbital Transports' Get Spaceborne™ turn-key mission service.

Emerging players

• Impulse Space: Impulse Space provides in-space transportation services for payloads between orbits, an emerging space logistics capability adjacent to Orbital Transports' smallsat mission services portfolio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Orbital Transports