Capella Federal provides synthetic capture radar imagery for government customers only.
WASHINGTON — Capella Space has created a new business unit, Capella Federal, focused on the defense market.
The company announced on January 31 that it will “increase access to Earth Observation with select U.S. defense customers.”
Capella Space is a commercial operator of Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) imaging satellites. SAR is a special form of remote sensing that has grown in demand since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. This is because SAR satellites can capture images at night even in clouds and rain, conditions that prejudice traditional optical satellites.
Capella Federal provides imagery only to government clients, and its analysts work in classified facilities.
Eric Traupe, a retired U.S. Marine Corps officer and former Deputy Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, was appointed head of Capella Federal.
The company also announced new members of its government advisory board. This includes retired Army Lieutenant General Robert He Ashley, former Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, and Clayton Hattmacher, former Chief of Operations for the U.S. Special Operations Command.
Existing Board members include former Assistant Secretary of Defense for Space Policy Doug Rovero, former Under Secretary of Defense Gil Klinger, and former NRO Director Jeffrey Harris.
The recently closed Capella Space $60 million Funding Round, Signed Agreement with National Reconnaissance Servicethe National Geospatial Intelligence Agency, the U.S. Air Force, Navy, and Space Force.
The company hopes to further expand its reach in the national security market. Payam Banazadeh, CEO and Founder of Capella Space, said:
In the aftermath of the Ukraine crisis, “There has been a huge demand from US government customers to use Capella’s SAR capabilities,” Banazadeh said.