Array Labs announced it raised a $20 million Series A round to expand manufacturing capacity for its space-based radar systems and move toward the launch of what it describes as the world’s first formation-flying radar satellite cluster. The funding was led by Catapult Ventures, with participation from Washington Harbour Partners and Kompas VC, alongside new and existing investors including Y Combinator, Maiora Capital, Animal Capital, Aera VC, Cultivation Capital, and Clearance Ventures.
This round brings its total funding to $35 million since graduating from Y Combinator, following a $5 million seed round in 2022 and a $10 million round in 2024.
Array said it is developing a radar architecture for mass manufacturing, using techniques borrowed from consumer electronics and telecommunications, to lower costs while improving performance relative to traditional bespoke satellite radar systems. The company said it has expanded its team and product scope over the past year, completed the design of its satellite bus, created two new product lines, and grown commercial bookings to “nine digits” in contracted revenue. Array also said it has received several U.S. government awards over the last 24 months across multiple armed services and other defense-related organizations.
The company said it has evolved from an initial plan focused on selling remote-sensing imagery toward a “radar-first” platform model driven by customer demand for its instruments. Array said it now operates three business lines: radar payloads sold as standalone instruments to satellite bus providers and defense contractors; sovereign satellite systems that provide integrated spacecraft and dedicated clusters for customers who want to own and operate their own assets; and data products that deliver 3D imagery and analytics from an Array-operated constellation.
Array said commercial customers have signed multi-year capacity agreements for its first radar cluster, targeting applications including monitoring industrial sites, planning and protecting critical infrastructure, and feeding data into autonomous systems. It also said demand for its turnkey radar payloads is increasing and that it expects to provide further updates on payload sales and on the scale-up of production.
Array will use the Series A proceeds to expand engineering, product, and go-to-market teams; increase production capacity for radar panels; complete flight qualification; and progress toward launching its first formation-flying radar cluster.
KEY QUOTE:
“The radar satellite industry today looks like space launch before SpaceX: dominated by legacy defense contractors building bespoke, expensive systems one at a time. We’ve assembled a team from the most innovative technology companies in Silicon Valley to do something different: build radar that can be produced at scale, at commercial price points, without sacrificing capability.”
Andrew Peterson, Co-Founder and CEO, Array Labs
