AscendArc Raises $4 Million to Challenge LEO With Small GEO Satellites

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Insider Brief

  • AscendArc has raised $4 million in funding and secured a $1.8 million U.S. Air Force contract to develop small, mass-produced geostationary satellites.
  • The company claims its satellites offer a tenfold reduction in cost per megabit per second compared to traditional GEO satellites, making them a cost-effective alternative to fiber and microwave in rural areas.
  • AscendArc is targeting both commercial and military markets, with its satellites designed to meet U.S. Department of Defense encryption, anti-jamming, and secure communication requirements.

Satellite startup AscendArc has raised $4 million to develop small, mass-produced geostationary satellites, a shift from the industry’s focus on Low Earth Orbit (LEO) constellations, according to a post on the company’s LinkedIn page. The company, emerging from stealth, aims to cut costs and improve high-bandwidth satellite communications through rapid deployment and volume manufacturing.

“This funding and our official emergence from stealth mode represent a major milestone for AscendArc,” said Chris McLain, Founder and President of AscendArc, as reported in 3D Printing Industry. “We are excited to continue our innovative work with AFWERX and Portland State University, applying our technology to provide scalable, cost-effective solutions that address the U.S. military’s growing demands for advanced satellite systems.”

The funding round was backed by Seraphim Space, Everywhere Ventures, Portland Seed Fund, Thermo and Hunter Communications. In addition to the private investment, AscendArc secured a $1.8 million Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) contract through the U.S. Air Force’s AFWERX program, according to 3D Printing Industry. The contract supports the company’s work on its Rapid, Scalable Geosynchronous Bandwidth technology, designed to improve data transmission efficiency.

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AscendArc’s approach counters the prevailing trend of LEO networks, which rely on large fleets of satellites orbiting close to Earth. Instead, the company is focusing on geostationary satellites — spacecraft that remain fixed over a specific region by matching the Earth’s rotation. Unlike LEO constellations that require constant repositioning and frequent handoffs between satellites, geostationary satellites can provide continuous coverage from a single position.

McLain, AscendArc’s founder and a former principal engineer at SpaceX, has experience working on geostationary communications satellites at Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and Panasonic, according to media reports. His strategy is to lower deployment costs by applying manufacturing techniques that allow for rapid and cost-effective production of smaller geostationary satellites.

The company reports its technology delivers a tenfold improvement in cost per megabit per second (Mbps) compared to traditional geostationary satellites. That advantage could make its satellites a viable alternative to fiber and microwave infrastructure in rural and remote areas, where laying cables is often expensive or impractical.

Beyond commercial applications, AscendArc is positioning its satellites for military use. The company says its technology is adaptable to U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) frequency bands, telemetry encryption, and anti-jamming requirements, addressing security concerns that arise when military communication relies on commercial satellite operators.

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