Home / Business and Economy / Space Startup Lands $100M for Orbit Communication
Space Startup Lands $100M for Orbit Communication
27 Jan
Summary
- Northwood Space secured $100 million in Series B funding.
- A $49.8 million contract was awarded by the United States Space Force.
- The company develops modern ground-based communications infrastructure.
Space is becoming increasingly congested, prompting innovations in ground-based communication infrastructure. Northwood Space, an El Segundo, California-based company, announced it has raised $100 million in Series B funding, led by Washington Harbour Partners and co-led by Andreessen Horowitz. This funding aims to support the company's growth and meet escalating customer demand for ground solutions.
In parallel, Northwood Space has been awarded a $49.8 million contract by the United States Space Force. This contract involves upgrading the satellite control network, which is vital for critical government space missions, including the tracking and control of GPS satellites. The company's technology features phased-array antenna systems designed to be more efficient than traditional large dish antennas.
Northwood's founder and CEO, Bridgit Mendler, highlighted that these developments represent an inflection point for the business, enabling responsible and rapid expansion. The company's vertically integrated approach to ground station problems is seen as a significant value proposition for the industry, especially for commercial customers like SpaceX and Amazon, as well as for government entities facing satellite control network capacity issues. By the end of 2027, Northwood expects its next-generation ground stations to handle significantly more satellite links.
