Space mission management is a complicated beast, too often characterized by complicated workflows and information silos that cost organizations time and money. Continuum Space Systems, a two-year-old startup based in Pasadena, aims to change that with its unified platform to support the entire lifecycle of a space mission.
To meet that goal, Continuum announced today that it had closed a $3 million seed renewal round, bringing its total funding to date to $6 million. This latest tranche of funding was led by Prophetic Capital Partners, with additional participation from Mandala Space Ventures, Explorer 1 Fund, Freeflow Ventures and Unlock Venture Partners.
The company is still gaining interest in the round, which could further increase the amount, Continuum CEO Marc Fagan told TechCrunch in a recent interview.
The startup has close ties to NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the California Institute of Technology, the university that founded and runs the lab. Nearly all of Continuum’s employees are from JPL, Fagan said, and the startup’s platform builds on technology licensed by JPL, though it’s not formally affiliated.
On its website, the company describes its cloud-based platform as one that can take mission management from “concept to completion.” The platform suite includes simulations for spacecraft design, deployment, and operations, spacecraft performance analysis, and is suitable for single satellite missions or constellations.
“Our platform enables space teams to plan, design and test more effectively throughout the mission lifecycle, allowing customers to focus on their top mission priorities,” Fagan said in a statement.
The company’s customers include Radian Aerospace, Accion Systems and the US Space Force.