Manifest Space
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2025
- HeadquartersLos Angeles, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Manifest Space does
Manifest Space, operating as Hstar Orbital Inc. and based in Los Angeles, California, builds onboard hardware infrastructure for persistent spacecraft identity, position, and visibility throughout the mission lifecycle. The company targets the operational gap left by ground-based space situational awareness, which observes spacecraft only from the outside and can lose track of vehicles when primary communications or GPS are unavailable. Its two core products are an Independent Optical Beacon, a vehicle-mounted module that broadcasts identity, position, and status independently of the host satellite's RF links, GPS, or ground-station upgrades, and an Orbital Transponder Platform, a compact (95mm x 95mm x 35mm, 100g) radiation-tolerant transponder supporting a cooperative traffic protocol for inter-vehicle coordination in rendezvous, proximity operations, and space domain awareness.
The company serves three horizontal segments: satellite operators (constellation and mission operators needing post-deployment identification and persistent awareness), launch providers (rideshare operators requiring rapid post-deployment identification of hosted payloads), and government agencies (space traffic management and international coordination bodies such as UNCOPUOS). The first commercial demonstration is scheduled for SpaceX's Transporter-18 mission in Q4 2026 aboard a Blackwing Space Sparrow nanosatellite. The revenue model is anchored on hardware sales of beacon and transponder units, with planned future recurring services for visibility, anomaly support, and traffic coordination; pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed.
Manifest Space closed a $1.15 million oversubscribed Pre-Seed round in June 2026 led by Hypernova Fund, and was selected as one of seven startups for Phase 2 of the NEC X Elev X! Ignite accelerator. The RAD Team supports transponder hardware development, and CEO Nick Orenstein participates in the U.S. State Department SSA Discussion Group supporting UNCOPUOS. The founding team holds flight heritage from SpaceX Crew Dragon, NASA JPL, and ESA's BepiColombo program, with advisors and board members from SpaceX, Northrop Grumman, Leidos, 7-11, and Yazaki.
Manifest Space firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Manifest Space
- Legal name
- Hstar Orbital Inc.
- Website
- https://manifest.space
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2025
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Manifest Space industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Space Traffic Management Hardware
- NAICS
- Other Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Parts and Auxiliary Equipment Manufacturing (336419), Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Manufacturing (336414)
- SIC
- Guided Missiles & Space Vehicles & Parts (3760), Search, Detection, Navagation, Guidance, Aeronautical Sys (3812)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Space Payloads & Instruments (Sensors, Comms, EO/IR) (IMABACAD)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Ground Segment Systems (Ground Stations, TT&C, Mission Ops) (IMABACAJ)
Keywords
Where Manifest Space is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Los Angeles
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Manifest Space business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Hardware Sales (Optical Beacon): Sale of independent vehicle-mounted optical beacon modules that attach to spacecraft to broadcast identity and position. First product scheduled to fly on SpaceX Transporter-18 in October 2026.
- Hardware Sales (Transponder Platform): Compact orbital transponder hardware platform providing persistent spacecraft identity and position throughout operational life. Being developed with The RAD Team for radiation-hardened space environments.
- Coordination Services: Future visibility, anomaly-support, and traffic-coordination services built on the persistent identity infrastructure throughout satellite mission lifecycle.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels6 records
Manifest Space product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Manifest Space builds onboard space traffic awareness infrastructure that provides persistent spacecraft identity, position, and visibility throughout the mission lifecycle. Its first product is the Independent Optical Beacon, a self-contained, vehicle-mounted module that broadcasts satellite identity and position without depending on the host's RF links, GPS, or ground stations. Its second product, the Orbital Transponder Platform, is a compact radiation-hardened transponder being co-developed with The RAD Team to give every satellite a cooperative identity and position signal for orbital coordination.
Product overview
Manifest Space is building a two-product infrastructure for persistent spacecraft identity, position, and visibility throughout the mission lifecycle. The first product, the Independent Optical Beacon, is a vehicle-mounted module that broadcasts spacecraft identity and position independently of the host satellite's primary systems. The second product, the Orbital Transponder Platform, is a compact onboard transponder providing persistent identity and position awareness throughout the satellite's operational life. Both products are designed to support space traffic coordination by enabling spacecraft to participate in a cooperative traffic protocol — broadcasting who they are, where they are, and where they are going.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Independent Optical Beacon A self-contained, vehicle-mounted optical beacon module that attaches to a spacecraft and broadcasts its identity, position, and status without relying on the host's RF links, GPS availability, or ground-station upgrades. Operates independently of the spacecraft's primary communications and creates a persistent data layer detectable by both ground-based and space-based tracking systems. Designed for satellite operators, launch providers, and government agencies.
- Orbital Transponder Platform A compact, independent onboard transponder hardware platform (95mm x 95mm x 35mm, 100g mass, 35 B/s data rate) designed to provide persistent spacecraft identity and position awareness throughout the satellite's operational life in radiation environments. Functions as a self-contained identity beacon enabling satellites to broadcast position and identification data for use by operators and coordination systems across the space ecosystem.
Quantifiable outcome
- Enables spacecraft to broadcast identity and position even when primary RF links drop or GPS is unavailable
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Manifest Space
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Manifest Space technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
Feature4 records
Manifest Space partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- NEC XcoreSelected as one of seven startups for Phase 2 of the NEC X Elev X! Ignite accelerator program, advancing from over 400 global applicants. The program provides mentorship, strategic positioning, customer engagement with satellite operators and mission partners, and access to an exceptional network of mentors, operators, and investors.
- The RAD TeamcoreSelected The RAD Team to support development of orbital transponder hardware platform. The RAD Team provides radiation engineering, electronics design, and mission assurance expertise to ensure the system operates reliably in harsh space radiation environments.
- Blackwing SpacecoreCommercial payload agreement signed with Blackwing Space to fly Manifest's first on-orbit demonstration aboard a Sparrow nanosatellite mission on SpaceX's Transporter-18 in Q4 2026. Blackwing provides modular, developer-friendly platform for rapid on-orbit demonstration.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Manifest Space competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Slingshot Aerospace: Slingshot provides space domain awareness, space traffic management, and analytics for satellite operators and government agencies, directly overlapping Manifest's coordination and identification use cases with a broader software-led stack.
- LeoLabs: LeoLabs operates a global ground-based radar network providing space domain awareness, tracking, and conjunction services for satellite operators — the incumbent that Manifest's onboard optical beacon aims to complement and partially displace as an identity layer.
- Kayhan Space: Kayhan Space provides autonomous space traffic management and conjunction analysis for satellite operators, directly competing with Manifest's planned coordination services layer built on top of its identity infrastructure.
- ExoAnalytic Solutions: ExoAnalytic operates one of the largest commercial optical space tracking networks and delivers space domain awareness data to operators and DoD — a direct comparator to Manifest's optical beacon as a tracking data source.
Emerging players
- Scout Space: Scout Space builds in-orbit inspection and space domain awareness services using optical sensors on satellites, comparable to Manifest's onboard optical payload approach to persistent monitoring and identification.
- Vyoma Space: Vyoma Space provides satellite tracking, space situational awareness, and conjunction alerts through a network of optical sensors, overlapping with Manifest's identity and coordination thesis from a sensing-layer perspective.
- Orbit Fab: Orbit Fab builds in-space servicing infrastructure including refueling hardware and coordination interfaces, an emerging in-orbit infrastructure peer that addresses similar operator needs for spacecraft awareness and rendezvous support.
- Cognitive Space: Cognitive Space delivers AI-driven satellite mission planning and space domain awareness software for constellation operators, partially overlapping Manifest's coordination and operational awareness use cases from a software-only angle.
- ThinkOrbital: ThinkOrbital develops in-space assembly and servicing platforms requiring close-proximity coordination between vehicles, a use case directly targeted by Manifest's rendezvous and proximity operations protocol. Its CEO Lee Rosen is a Manifest advisor.
Broad incumbents
- Northrop Grumman: Northrop Grumman operates a broad space systems portfolio including space domain awareness, satellite manufacturing, and mission solutions that touch every layer of the orbital coordination stack — represented on Manifest's board through Stan Crow.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Manifest Space social profiles
Digital presenceManifest Space financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Manifest Space leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
Manifest Space funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Manifest Space 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 Manifest Space
What does Manifest Space do?
Manifest Space builds onboard space traffic awareness infrastructure that provides persistent spacecraft identity, position, and visibility throughout the mission lifecycle. Its first product is the Independent Optical Beacon, a self-contained, vehicle-mounted module that broadcasts satellite identity and position without depending on the host's RF links, GPS, or ground stations. Its second product, the Orbital Transponder Platform, is a compact radiation-hardened transponder being co-developed with The RAD Team to give every satellite a cooperative identity and position signal for orbital coordination.
Is Manifest Space a public or private company?
Manifest Space is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Manifest Space founded?
Manifest Space was founded in 2025. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Manifest Space based?
Manifest Space is headquartered in Los Angeles, United States, in the North America region.
How does Manifest Space make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Hardware Sales (Optical Beacon) is the primary driver. The others are hardware Sales (Transponder Platform) and coordination Services.
Who are Manifest Space's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Slingshot Aerospace, LeoLabs, Kayhan Space and ExoAnalytic Solutions. Emerging players are Scout Space, Vyoma Space, Orbit Fab, Cognitive Space and ThinkOrbital. Northrop Grumman is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Manifest Space have an API?
No public API is recorded for Manifest Space.
What industry is Manifest Space in?
Manifest Space's product category is Space Traffic Management Hardware. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMABACAD, Space Payloads & Instruments (Sensors, Comms, EO/IR), with a secondary code of IMABACAJ, Ground Segment Systems (Ground Stations, TT&C, Mission Ops). Its NAICS code is 336419 and its SIC code is 3760.