Information services startup Capella Space Corp. today revealed it has raised $60 million in new funding to expand its imaging capacity and develop new data products for customers demanding frequent, timely and high-quality synthetic-aperture radar imagery.

The new funding came via growth equity financing from the U.S. Innovative Technology Fund. Including the new round, Capella Space has raised about $239 million to date, according to data from Crunchbase. Previous investors include NightDragon, DCVC, Cota Capital, Alumni Ventures and Artiman Ventures.

Founded in 2016, Capella Space provides high-quality Earth observation data on demand through SAR sensors deployed across its growing fleet of custom-built satellites. Synthetic-aperture radar is a form of radar used to create two-dimension images or three-dimensional reconstructions of objects. The technology uses the motion of the radar antenna to provide finer spatial resolution than conventional radars.

The company aims to revolutionize the way that critical industries across the public and private sectors collect and analyze Earth observation data to make informed and accurate decisions. Its satellites can penetrate all types of weather conditions – clouds, fog, smoke, rain – to capture what it says are clear images and accurate and timely data about what is happening anywhere on Earth at any given moment.

Users access the service through the Capella Console, a self-serve, automated satellite tasking platform, enabling customers to easily request and download images directly without any human intervention. The high-quality imagery and Earth observation data is available constantly, catering to critical use cases such as geopolitical, environmental and humanitarian challenges.

The funding is intended to help Capella build and launch its next-generation Acadia satellites. The new satellites feature an enhanced design that delivers higher resolutions, increased imaging capacity and faster delivery capabilities for customers.

“Our customers are solving some of the world’s toughest problems, from geopolitical conflicts to humanitarian crises, climate change, supply chain logistics and more,” Payam Banazadeh, founder and chief executive of Capella Space, said in a statement. “They need high-quality, high-resolution Earth observation data to inform them of potentially life-saving decisions and Capella Space is stepping up to ensure they have accurate, timely information.”

Capella Space has seen strong growth, tripling its revenue in 2022, though it didn’t reveal specifics. The amount of imagery collected by its fleet of satellites doubled last year and the company has also seen its headcount grow by more than 50%.

Image: Capella Space