WASHINGTON — Capella Space, a satellite imaging company based in San Francisco, has landed a $14.9 million contract from the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) to provide synthetic aperture radar (SAR) services, the company announced Monday.
Capella Space It specializes in Earth observation using SAR technology, which allows obtaining high-resolution images regardless of weather conditions or time of day. Unlike traditional optical satellites, SAR systems can penetrate cloud cover and darkness.
The contract, which runs through December 2026, aims to integrate Capella SAR data into AFRL’s Global Unification Environment, an experimental cloud-based platform designed to test automated satellite tasking and image collection strategies using commercial systems.
Alexander Duchane, an electronics engineer in AFRL's Space Vehicles Directorate, explained the rationale for the project. “We are interested in working with commercial satellite companies on multiple phenomenologies to understand their capabilities and military utility,” Duchane said Aug. 1 in a statement to Space News.
AFRL, based at Kirtland Air Force Base in New Mexico, said the agreement with Capella is a Phase 2 Strategic Funding Augmentation Grant for Small Business Innovation Research. This type of contract is typically aimed at supporting small businesses in their research and development efforts with commercialization potential.
Founded in 2016, Capella Space has sought to expand its presence in the defense sector.
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