Capella Space

Tucked away on Shotwell Street in San Francisco, Capella Space isn’t your typical tech startup. It’s a company reaching for the stars, quite literally. Capella Space is pioneering the use of Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) technology in space. They design, build, and operate a constellation of SAR satellites that can capture images of Earth, regardless of weather or light conditions. Imagine seeing the Earth through a cloud-covered sky, or capturing detailed images in the dead of night. That’s the power of Capella Space’s SAR technology. Founded in 2016 by Payam Banazadeh, a former NASA engineer, Capella Space began with a vision to democratize access to vital Earth observation data. The company’s headquarters in San Francisco serves as mission control for its ever-growing fleet of satellites. The first satellite, Denali, launched in 2018, was a testbed for their innovative approach. They followed up with Sequoia in 2020 and a series of Whitney satellites deployed between 2021 and 2022. Capella Space has rapidly expanded, raising over $250 million in funding and securing contracts with organizations like the National Reconnaissance Office and the U.S. Air Force. Their SAR imagery isn’t just for government agencies. Capella Space works with commercial clients across various industries, from monitoring global supply chains to assessing disaster damage. Capella Space’s work with the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency under a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement highlights the growing importance of commercial SAR data. Their partnership with Inmarsat allows for real-time tasking of their satellites, drastically reducing the time between request and image delivery. Capella Space isn’t just launching satellites, they are launching a new era of Earth observation, one where vital information is accessible to all, regardless of time or weather. Their work here in San Francisco is impacting how we understand and interact with our planet, providing a clearer view of a constantly changing world.