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Gravitics received a $1.7 million grant from the U.S. Space Force to develop ‘tactically responsive’ orbital platforms

Apr 25, 2024over 1 year ago

Amount Raised

$1.7 Million

Round Type

seed

Chicago

Investors

U.S. Space ForceSpace Systems CommandSpace Werx

Description

Gravitics has been awarded a $1.7 million grant from the U.S. Space Force in partnership with SpaceWERX and Space Systems Command’s Space Safari Program Office. The grant is part of the initiative known as tactically responsive space (TacRS), aiming to enable new kinds of space missions on unprecedented timelines.

Company Information

Company

Gravitics

Location

84 ORTEGA CT.

Chicago, Illinois, United States

About

Beyond that, Gravitics is aiming to fulfill the ongoing needs of these stations once they are operational, plus meeting organic demand that the company is betting will emerge as costs for launching cargo and crew drop. StarMax will have power and propulsion onboard for delivery and docking (and indeed, the company landed Virgin Orbit’s former senior director of propulsion, Scott Macklin, as its director of engineering).“What we’re guessing is going to happen is that station demand is going to grow,” Doughan said. For all the talk of Starship, the company isn’t putting all its eggs in that one, Musk-y basket. The company recently opened a 42,000-square-foot facility just north of Seattle where it has already begun constructing prototypes and preparing for early module pressure tests early next year. In addition to these physical spaces, the company will also use the funds from this seed round to continue growing its team. But it’s safe to say that the company is moving fast — as are all the companies hoping to operate the next generation of space stations — in the face of the impending decommissioning of the ISS at the end of the decade. Gravitics is also in talks with development groups in Florida about building a larger production and integration facility right next to their customer base at Kennedy Space Center.

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