CesiumAstro
CesiumAstro develops multi-beam phased array communications systems for satellites, UAVs, and other platforms.
- Founded
- 2017
- Headquarters
- Austin, United States
- Ownership
- Private
- Total raised
- $426M+
- Last round
- Undisclosed round · $270M2026-03
Quick Facts
About CesiumAstro
CesiumAstro develops multi-beam phased array communications systems for satellites, UAVs, and other platforms. The company's active electronically steered array (AESA) technology enables high-bandwidth, software-defined communications that can dynamically allocate capacity. CesiumAstro's systems support both commercial and defense applications, with contracts from the US Department of Defense and commercial satellite operators.
By March 2026 CesiumAstro had raised more than $426 million in equity (including a $270 million round) plus $200 million in EXIM financing, and in 2026 it acquired Vidrovr, Jariet Technologies and 1Aardvark and introduced the Element satellite platform.
Products and product lines
| Product | Line | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Element | Spacecraft (mission-ready satellite platform) | Mission-ready satellite bus with adaptable payload integration; CEO Shey Sabripour said in a March 2026 interview that CesiumAstro was targeting Element's first launch later in 2026. |
| Vireo Ka 576 / Ka 288 | Communications payload | Multi-beam Ka-band phased-array payloads for high-capacity commercial and military connectivity, part of CesiumAstro's Space Systems product line. |
| Skylark terminal family | SATCOM terminal | Software-defined, modular communications terminals for ground, air and maritime platforms; the terminal line underpins CesiumAstro's April 2026 Missile Defense Agency GMD Weapon System (IFICS) award. |
| 1Aardvark mission software | Mission autonomy software (acquired August 2026) | Mission software, algorithms and systems engineering for missile tracking and distributed, contested-environment autonomy, acquired to add autonomy to CesiumAstro's spacecraft and communications systems. |
| Jariet Technologies RF-SoC semiconductors | RF semiconductors (acquired August 2026) | Fabless RF System-on-Chip and high-speed data-converter designer acquired to bring semiconductor design for SATCOM, radar and electronic-warfare applications in-house. |
| Vidrovr AI/ISR analytics | AI signal analytics (acquired February 2026) | Real-time multimodal signal-analysis AI acquired to embed adaptive RF optimization and autonomous tasking into CesiumAstro's communications and ISR payloads. |
Timeline
- 2024 CesiumAstro raises a $65 million Series B+ round (announced June 18) led by Trousdale Ventures, with participation from Development Bank of Japan, Quanta Computer, Kleiner Perkins and L3Harris among others, taking total equity raised to $156 million. [source]
- 2026 CesiumAstro acquires AI company Vidrovr (announced February 26) to embed real-time multimodal signal analysis into its space communications and ISR product lines. [source]
- 2026 CesiumAstro announces a $500 million, five-year investment (March 6) to expand its Austin, Texas headquarters by nearly 270,000 square feet, adding 550 jobs and targeting a workforce of over 1,000 by 2030. [source]
- 2026 In a March 16 Satellite Today interview, CEO Shey Sabripour discloses a $270 million funding round and $200 million in EXIM Bank financing for U.S. manufacturing expansion, and says CesiumAstro is targeting the first launch of its Element satellite later in 2026. [source]
- 2026 CesiumAstro is selected (announced April 21) to supply a large-aperture active phased array, based on its Skylark terminal line, for the Missile Defense Agency's GMD Weapon System In-Flight Interceptor Communications System (IFICS). [source]
- 2026 CesiumAstro acquires Jariet Technologies (announced August 12), a fabless RF System-on-Chip and data-converter designer, to bring semiconductor design for SATCOM, radar and electronic-warfare applications in-house. [source]
- 2026 CesiumAstro acquires 1Aardvark (announced August 25), a mission-software and autonomy specialist for missile defense and tracking, to add autonomous, contested-environment operation to its spacecraft and communications systems. [source]
Funding history
5 events · $426M+ raised| Date | Round | Amount | Investors | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-16 | Undisclosed round | $270M | —Investing in American Manufacturing: Shey Sabripour Talks CesiumAstro's Ramp-Up Investing in American Manufacturing: Shey Sabripour Talks CesiumAstro's Ramp-Up. CesiumAstro Founder and CEO Shey Sabrip | satellitetoday.com |
| 2022-02-03 | Undisclosed round | $60.0M | —Form D filed 2022-03-02 by CesiumAstro Inc.: $60.0M sold of a $60.0M offering (first sale 2022-02-03). | sec.gov |
| 2020-10-07 | Undisclosed round | $14.0M | —Form D filed 2020-10-22 by CesiumAstro Inc.: $14.0M sold of a $15.0M offering (first sale 2020-10-07). | sec.gov |
| 2017-04-19 | Undisclosed round | $1.8M | —Form D filed 2017-05-25 by CesiumAstro Inc.: $1.8M sold of a $1.8M offering (first sale 2017-04-19). | sec.gov |
| 2017-04-19 | Undisclosed round | $1.8M | —Form D amendment filed 2017-07-05 by CesiumAstro Inc.: $1.8M sold of a $1.8M offering (first sale 2017-04-19). | sec.gov |
Team
- Shey SabripourCEO · source
Signals
- Verification
- Verified 2026-09-09
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Frequently asked about CesiumAstro
Quick answers to the questions readers most often search for.
- When was CesiumAstro founded?
- CesiumAstro was founded in 2017 in United States.
- Where is CesiumAstro headquartered?
- CesiumAstro is headquartered in Austin, United States.
- What does CesiumAstro do?
- CesiumAstro develops multi-beam phased array communications systems for satellites, UAVs, and other platforms. The company's active electronically steered array (AESA) technology enables high-bandwidth, software-defined communications that can dynamically allocate capacity. CesiumAstro's systems support both commercial…
- Is CesiumAstro a public or private company?
- CesiumAstro is a privately held company and is not listed on any stock exchange.
- What sector does CesiumAstro operate in?
- CesiumAstro works in satellite communications and Lunar.
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 (www.cesiumastro.com)
- Company LinkedIn page
- SEC Form D · retrieved 2026-09-04
- SEC Form D · retrieved 2026-09-04
- SEC Form D · retrieved 2026-09-04
- SEC Form D · retrieved 2026-09-04
- Wikidata / Wikipedia · retrieved 2026-09-04
- CesiumAstro press release · retrieved 2026-09-05
- SpaceNews: CesiumAstro banks another $65 million (18 Jun 2024) · retrieved 2026-09-09
- CesiumAstro: Announcing Acquisition of Vidrovr (26 Feb 2026) · retrieved 2026-09-09
- CesiumAstro: Expanding Texas HQ with $500M Investment (6 Mar 2026) · retrieved 2026-09-09
- CesiumAstro: Selected to Support GWS IFICS for Missile Defense Agency (21 Apr 2026) · retrieved 2026-09-09
- CesiumAstro: Acquires Jariet Technologies (12 Aug 2026) · retrieved 2026-09-09
- CesiumAstro: Acquires 1Aardvark (25 Aug 2026) · retrieved 2026-09-09
Data Accuracy Notice: Information about CesiumAstro 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.