Portal Space taps Quindar for ground mission support of its maneuvering spacecraft

WASHINGTON — Quindar, a Denver-based startup specializing in satellite ground systems, said it signed an agreement with Portal Space Systems to provide mission management services for upcoming missions involving maneuverable spacecraft.

The agreement covers multiple missions, including operations support for Portal’s planned launches of its Starburst and Supernova spacecraft, Quindar said.

Portal Space Systems, based in Washington state, is developing spacecraft designed for in-space mobility, or the ability to move satellites and payloads between orbits.

The company’s Starburst spacecraft is designed as a maneuverable satellite bus, while Supernova is being developed as an orbital transfer vehicle that uses solar thermal propulsion to move between orbital regimes. Portal plans to launch its first Starburst spacecraft later this year aboard SpaceX’s Transporter-18 rideshare mission. The first Supernova mission is scheduled for 2027.

The companies did not disclose financial terms.

Interest in maneuverable spacecraft has grown across the defense sector as the Pentagon pushes for more agile space architectures capable of repositioning assets, conducting inspections and supporting responsive missions in orbit. 

Portal has positioned its vehicles for national security applications including rapid-response missions, space domain awareness and tactical mobility between orbital regimes. The company has received Defense Department funding and has aligned itself with growing Pentagon interest in spacecraft capable of operating dynamically across different orbital environments.

Quindar provides cloud-hosted mission operations software that automates satellite command, planning and ground operations. The company is seeking to replace traditional bespoke mission control systems with commercial software platforms that can scale across multiple spacecraft and missions.

“Portal is building a new class of rapidly maneuverable spacecraft designed for dynamic missions,” said Nate Hamet, co-founder and chief executive of Quindar. 

Jeff Thornburg, chief executive of Portal Space Systems, said Quindar’s software “allows us to field capability faster by simplifying and automating mission control.”

Both companies are portfolio investments of Booz Allen Hamilton’s venture arm, Booz Allen Ventures.

Travis Bales, director of Booz Allen Ventures, said the firm views the two companies as developing complementary technologies aligned with national security space missions.