Polaris - Banner

German OKAPI:Orbits raises €5.5 million for space traffic management software

Credit: OKAPI: Orbits

Liverpool, 15 June 2022. – Software as a service startup, OKAPI: Orbits, has raised €5.5 million in a seed funding round led by San Francisco-based MunichRe Ventures for its software aiming to make space operations safer and more efficient. US firm, Dolby Family Ventures, European VCs Herius Capital and APEX Ventures and investors also participated in the round.

OKAPI’s space traffic management software aids the coordination and optimization of satellite-, rocket- and sensor operations. Due to the increasing number of space debris, space infrastructure faces frequent interferences, close approaches, and potential collisions. OKAPI’s platform utilizes selective data sets and algorithms to ensure an interruption-free use of tech in space.

The Space Traffic Management software gathers a precise and holistic map of objects and actions conducted in space. In order to do this, it fuses radar, telescope, in-orbit sensors, and laser-ranging data to an independent data set, the company said. This enables OKAPI to predict risk, interferences, and environmental impacts, allowing operators to extend the lifetime of their space objects.

The startup has already provided services to over 50 spacecraft in orbit and over 150 registered users across the globe. OKAPI also offers risk analysis, simulation capabilities, and tools to ensure compliance with regulations and industry standards, the firm said.

Check Also

#SpaceWatchGL Opinion: 10 iconic marketing campaigns in Space

Marketing in outer space seems like an innovative idea, but it has 60+ years of history. Dr. Wernher von Braun, former Marshall Space Flight Center Director, pointed out on July 22, 1969: "Because without public relations we would have been unable to do it". Today, accelerated access to space provides unprecedented opportunities for #advertising stunts and viral marketing. Some campaigns raise ethical, environmental, and regulatory concerns, while others champion sustainability.