Slingshot targets international market with sovereign space tracking systems

WASHINGTON — Slingshot Aerospace, a company that specializes in tracking satellites and analyzing orbital data, is seeking to expand internationally with a new service that allows countries to build independent space monitoring capabilities.

The service, called Sovereign Space Object Tracking, is designed to “give nations control over their own space domain awareness capabilities,” CEO Tim Solms said in a news release April 29.

With the rise in satellite deployments and growing concerns about space congestion and security, Slingshot’s move taps into an emerging demand, he said. “Any nation can monitor, track, and analyze space objects independently, without reliance on other nations.”

Based in Colorado and operating also in the United Kingdom, Slingshot has largely worked with the U.S. government. It now aims to support countries that want greater visibility into space without depending solely on commercial providers or the U.S. military’s catalog of space objects, which has been the dominant global resource for tracking satellites and debris.

The new offering is structured to be more than just a service. Erik Ekwurzel, the company’s chief data and information officer, said Slingshot plans to partner with governments to help them build their own sensor networks.

“Countries are recognizing the need to have more sovereign capabilities to make sure that they are able to manage their assets in space and make sure that their assets in space are safe and sustainable,” Ekwurzel said.

Slingshot is offering a range of options, he said. Countries could purchase a space-staring array to track satellites in low Earth orbit, where most active satellites operate, or in geostationary orbit, where communications satellites are stationed. They can also tap into Slingshot’s existing global sensor network, which currently spans 22 locations, for a broader view of orbital activity. The company also would provide expertise and technical support. 

“For them, it’s a low-cost way to get into global space domain awareness,” Ekwurzel said.