Capella Space
Capella Space became a wholly owned subsidiary of IonQ, Inc.
- Founded
- 2016
- Headquarters
- San Francisco, United States
- Stage
- Acquired
- Ownership
- Subsidiary of IonQ
- Employees
- 200as of 2024
- Last round
- Undisclosed round · $60M2023-01
Quick Facts
About Capella Space
Capella Space became a wholly owned subsidiary of IonQ, Inc. (NYSE: IONQ) on 15 July 2025, following an acquisition agreement announced on 7 May 2025. Capella Space is America's first commercial synthetic aperture radar satellite company, providing 24/7 Earth observation using advanced X-band SAR technology capable of imaging through clouds, darkness, and adverse weather conditions. The San Francisco-based company operates a constellation delivering sub-0.25 meter resolution imagery for defense, intelligence, and commercial customers.
In 2024, Capella added three advanced Acadia third-generation satellites to its constellation, achieving an industry first by launching and commissioning two satellites within a single week. The August 2024 launches happened just five days apart, with Capella-15 making first contact only 12 minutes after deployment. The constellation now includes 15 satellites providing revisit times under 3 hours over key regions.
Acadia satellites feature improved 700 MHz radar bandwidth delivering higher resolution and imaging quality compared to earlier generations. The radars operate in stripmap, spotlight, and sliding spotlight modes for diverse application requirements. Capella's fully automated tasking platform enables rapid order-to-delivery timelines for time-sensitive intelligence needs.
In 2024, Capella was awarded $15 million by the U.S. Air Force to develop next-generation SAR sensors and received a Space Development Agency HALO contract award. The company launched an AI-powered Vessel Classification system in May 2024, automatically identifying and categorizing ships in high-resolution SAR imagery without human intervention. Capella Space continues advancing all-weather Earth observation capabilities for defense, maritime, and commercial applications worldwide.
Products and product lines
| Product | Line | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Acadia (third-generation SAR satellites) | Synthetic aperture radar satellites | 700 MHz-bandwidth SAR satellites; the constellation had reached Acadia-10 by 2026, with imagery cited in an August 2026 NRO contract announcement. |
| AI-powered Vessel Classification | Maritime SAR analytics | Automated ship identification and categorization system for high-resolution SAR imagery, launched May 2024. |
| SAR polarimetry (dual-polarization) | Radar sensor technology | Development funded by a $15 million AFWERX/Air Force Research Laboratory STRATFI award announced 18 September 2024, targeting dual-polarization operation and reduced-latency delivery. |
| Optical inter-satellite relay | Satellite communications | Capella is validating a Mynaric-made optical communications terminal on Acadia-10, targeting 2.5 Gbps relay to cut task-to-delivery timelines from hours toward minutes; future satellites are planned to use Skyloom terminals from 2027. |
| NRO Radar Commercial Augmentation imagery | Government SAR data services | Capella was one of three firms (with ICEYE US and Umbra) selected for a sole-source NRO Radar Commercial Augmentation contract disclosed 5 August 2026. |
Timeline
- 2024 Capella launches Capella-13 and Capella-15, third-generation Acadia SAR satellites, five days apart in mid-August, expanding the constellation. [source]
- 2024 Capella is awarded a $15 million AFWERX Ventures STRATFI contract (with AFRL) on 18 September to develop next-generation dual-polarization SAR technology; CEO Frank Backes says it will "accelerate Capella's mission to deliver SAR data that is consistently high-quality, timely and reliable." [source]
- 2025 IonQ, Inc. announces an agreement to acquire Capella Space alongside its 2025 revenue guidance update, disclosed 7 May. [source]
- 2025 IonQ completes its acquisition of Capella Space on 15 July; Capella CEO Frank Backes says the deal lets the company "build the first quantum-enabled Earth observation platform," integrating Capella's SAR satellites with IonQ's quantum-key-distribution ambitions. [source]
- 2026 Capella (now an IonQ company) prepares to validate a Mynaric optical communications terminal on its Acadia-10 satellite, reported 25 June, aiming to cut data-delivery timelines from hours to minutes. [source]
- 2026 Capella is selected, alongside ICEYE US and Umbra, for a sole-source National Reconnaissance Office Radar Commercial Augmentation (RCA) contract for commercial SAR imagery, reported 5 August. [source]
Frank Backes (CEO)
Funding history
6 events| Date | Round | Amount | Investors | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-01-10 | Undisclosed round | $60M | —Capella Space raises $60 million from fund run by billionaire entertainment exec Thomas Tull | cnbc.com |
| 2022-10-25 | Undisclosed round | $75M | —RapidSOS, a big data platform for emergency first responders, raises $75M | techcrunch.com |
| 2019-11-20 | Undisclosed round | $29.4M | —Form D filed 2019-12-12 by Capella Space Corp.: $29.4M sold of a $30.0M offering (first sale 2019-11-20). | sec.gov |
| 2019-04-05 | Undisclosed round | $13.7M | —Form D filed 2019-04-18 by Capella Space Corp.: $13.7M sold of a $13.7M offering (first sale 2019-04-05). | sec.gov |
| 2018-08-23 | Undisclosed round | $18.8M | —Form D filed 2018-09-28 by Capella Space Corp.: $18.8M sold of a $29.0M offering (first sale 2018-08-23). | sec.gov |
| 2017-05-03 | Undisclosed round | $14.9M | —Form D filed 2017-05-17 by Capella Space Corp.: $14.9M sold of a $15.6M offering (first sale 2017-05-03). | sec.gov |
Team
- Frank BackesCEO · source
Signals
- Verification
- Verified 2026-09-09
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Frequently asked about Capella Space
Quick answers to the questions readers most often search for.
- When was Capella Space founded?
- Capella Space was founded in 2016 in United States.
- Where is Capella Space headquartered?
- Capella Space is headquartered in San Francisco, United States.
- What does Capella Space do?
- Capella Space became a wholly owned subsidiary of IonQ, Inc. (NYSE: IONQ) on 15 July 2025, following an acquisition agreement announced on 7 May 2025. Capella Space is America's first commercial synthetic aperture radar satellite company, providing 24/7 Earth observation using advanced X-band SAR technology capable of …
- Was Capella Space acquired?
- Capella Space has been acquired by IonQ.
- What sector does Capella Space operate in?
- Capella Space works in earth observation and Radar imaging.
Sources
The structured fields on this page (founding year, location, sector, status, listing) and the profile text are drawn from the sources below. How profiles are drafted and checked is described in our methodology.
- Official website (capellaspace.com)
- SEC Form D · retrieved 2026-09-05
- SEC Form D · retrieved 2026-09-05
- SEC Form D · retrieved 2026-09-05
- SEC Form D · retrieved 2026-09-05
- Wikidata / Wikipedia · retrieved 2026-09-05
- Capella Space press release · retrieved 2026-09-05
- Capella Space press release · retrieved 2026-09-05
- Electronics Weekly: AFWERX funds Capella Space SAR polarimetry development (18 Sep 2024) · retrieved 2026-09-09
- SEC 8-K exhibit 99.1 (IonQ, Inc.): 2025 revenue guidance and agreement to acquire Capella (7 May 2025) · retrieved 2026-09-09
- SEC 8-K exhibit 99.1 (IonQ, Inc.): IonQ Completes Acquisition of Capella Space (15 Jul 2025) · retrieved 2026-09-09
- Via Satellite: Capella Prepares to Validate Mynaric Optical Terminal on Latest SAR Satellite (25 Jun 2026) · retrieved 2026-09-09
- Via Satellite: Capella, ICEYE US, and Umbra Receive NRO Commercial SAR Contracts (5 Aug 2026) · retrieved 2026-09-09
Data Accuracy Notice: Information about Capella Space is compiled from publicly available sources including company websites, press releases, regulatory filings, and industry reports. Data is reviewed periodically but may not reflect the most recent developments.