WASHINGTON — SpaceWERX, the Space Force’s innovation arm, selected 11 companies for a new round of public-private funding agreements aimed at moving space technologies from prototypes toward operational use.

The 11 agreements are expected to draw a combined $562.5 million from government organizations and private investors.

SpaceWERX announced the Strategic Funding Increase, or STRATFI, selections Aug. 20 at the Fed Supernova conference in Austin, Texas. The companies are Agile Space Industries, Antares Nuclear, EO Solutions, Hydrosat, Kall Morris, Method Security, Muon Space, Scout Space, Sedaro, Star Catcher Industries and ThinkOrbital.

SpaceWERX did not provide details of the individual projects. STRATFI agreements can be worth up to $60 million per company, typically split between government and private funding. SpaceWERX can provide up to $15 million in SBIR funds, supplemented by money from military customers and matching private investment.

The selections are not yet finalized contract awards. The companies will now work with SpaceWERX and Space Force organizations to negotiate agreements, establish milestones and demonstrate that their technologies can meet military requirements.

“STRATFI is a critical tool for the Space Force to signal demand to industry and private investors,” SpaceWERX Director Arthur Grijalva said in a statement.

The program is available to companies performing under, or recently completing, a Phase 2 Small Business Innovation Research or Small Business Technology Transfer project.

Unlike a conventional early-stage SBIR award, STRATFI requires other organizations to put money behind the project, in addition to third-party investors. The structure is intended to force closer alignment among the startup, an operational customer and outside capital before the government commits to buying a capability at larger scale.

• Agile Space Industriesdevelops chemical propulsion systems and thrusters for spacecraft, including high-thrust systems intended to give satellites greater ability to maneuver and rapidly change orbits.
• Antares Nuclearis developing factory-produced nuclear microreactors for defense and commercial customers and has previously received Air Force funding to adapt its reactor technology for space applications.
• EO Solutionsdevelops space-domain-awareness sensors, directed-energy technologies and optical systems. An earlier Space Development Agency Phase 2 award supported its work on portable laser communications ground stations.
• Hydrosatoperates satellites equipped with thermal-infrared sensors that can detect temperature signatures and changes on the ground, a capability it markets for agriculture and water management as well as defense and intelligence applications.
• KMI Spaceis developing spacecraft and robotic systems for orbital logistics and debris removal, designed to rendezvous with and maneuver satellites or other objects that were not originally built to be serviced.
• Method Securitybuilds cybersecurity software for government and other critical systems. Its previous Space Force Phase 2 project focused on adapting its platform to continuously monitor space-related cyber infrastructure.
• Muon Spacedesigns, builds and operates satellite constellations for commercial and defense customers, and is working with the Air Force and Space Force on space-based environmental monitoring.
• Scout Spacedevelops spacecraft-mounted optical sensors, onboard processing and autonomous software intended to help satellites detect and characterize other objects in orbit.
• Sedaroprovides digital engineering and simulation software used to create high-fidelity models and digital twins of satellites and other military systems.
• Star Catcher Industriesis developing an orbital energy network that would use optical power beaming to send additional energy to satellites in space.
• ThinkOrbitalis developing technologies for inspecting, servicing and constructing spacecraft in orbit, including robotic welding tools and an X-ray system intended to provide detailed information about satellites and other objects.