Fortastra has raised $30 million in Series A funding to build maneuverable spacecraft for national-security and satellite-protection missions. First In led the financing, with participation from Upfront Ventures, Space Capital and other investors.
The startup is developing spacecraft capable of rendezvous and proximity operations: approaching, observing and maneuvering near other objects in orbit. Those capabilities have legitimate uses in inspection and servicing, but they also matter to governments concerned about threats to their satellites. Space-based communications, positioning and observation have become integral to civilian and military infrastructure.
Fortastra founder Mike Smayda, a former SpaceX engineer, told Via Satellite that the financing would fund the company’s next two spacecraft. The startup has also discussed early assets launched into orbit, giving it a path to test hardware beyond ground simulations.
The engineering problem extends beyond autonomous navigation. A security-oriented spacecraft must communicate reliably, maneuver with limited propellant and operate under strict safety and mission requirements. The Series A positions Fortastra to show whether smaller, potentially lower-cost vehicles can provide useful orbital awareness and response at a scale customers are willing to finance.