Capella Space
AcquiredPalo Alto, US · Founded 2016 · Delaware corporation · 15 known investors
Capella Space designs, builds, and operates synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite constellations that provide all-weather, day-and-night Earth observation imagery at sub-0.25m resolution. It offers an automated end-to-end tasking and data delivery platform serving defense and intelligence, maritime, disaster response, and infrastructure monitoring customers.
Also known as Capella · Capella Space, Inc.
Founders & leadership
Capella Space was founded in 2016 by Payam Banazadeh.
Board
Investors · 15
Also in the syndicate · 1
Reported raises · per SEC filings
Form D private placements$76.8M disclosed across 4 of 10 rounds · 2016–2023
▶$29.4MraisedDec 2019 · 11 investors · Other TechnologyRule 506(b)
- Chris BoshuizenDirector
- Payam BanazadehExecutive Officer, Director
- Nabeel HyattDirector
- Offering amount
- $30M
- Amount sold
- $29.4M
- First sale
- Nov 2019
- Incorporated
- Corporation, Delaware, 2016
- Federal exemptions
- 06b
▶$13.7MraisedApr 2019 · 5 investors · Other TechnologyRule 506(b)
- Nabeel HyattDirector
- Chris BoshuizenDirector
- Payam BanazadehExecutive Officer, Director
- Offering amount
- $13.7M
- Amount sold
- $13.7M
- First sale
- Apr 2019
- Incorporated
- Corporation, Delaware, 2016
- Federal exemptions
- 06b
▶$18.8MraisedSep 2018 · 10 investors · Other TechnologyRule 506(b)
- Chris BoshuizenDirector
- Will WoodsExecutive Officer
- William WoodsDirector
- Nabeel HyattDirector
- Payam BanazadehExecutive Officer, Director
- Offering amount
- $29M
- Amount sold
- $18.8M
- First sale
- Aug 2018
- Incorporated
- Corporation, Delaware, 2016
- Federal exemptions
- 06b
▶$14.9MraisedMay 2017 · 9 investors · Other TechnologyRule 506(b)
- Payam BanazadehExecutive Officer, Director
- William WoodsDirector
- Chris BoshuizenDirector
- Nabeel HyattDirector
- Offering amount
- $15.6M
- Amount sold
- $14.9M
- First sale
- May 2017
- Incorporated
- Corporation, Delaware, 2016
- Federal exemptions
- 06b
Source: SEC EDGAR Form D. Amounts as filed; amended filings shown once at their latest values.
Company profile
researched Aug 2026Capella Space is an American satellite manufacturer and operator of a constellation of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellites that image the Earth in all weather conditions, day and night. Founded in 2016, it was the first U.S. company to field a commercial SAR satellite constellation, launching its first operational satellite, Sequoia (Capella-2), in 2020. The company designs, manufactures and operates its own spacecraft and ground infrastructure, and sells imagery, geospatial products and end-to-end mission solutions to U.S. government and commercial customers [3][4].
The company's product line spans space systems (spacecraft design through ground infrastructure), SAR data, automated tasking, and sensor/signals-intelligence technology. Its Tasking, Collection, Processing, Exploitation and Dissemination (TCPED) platform is fully automated and cloud-based, with 15-minute scheduling cycles, a self-service Console and API, and flexible collection tiers. Capella markets sub-0.25 m SAR resolution, 2-15 revisit opportunities per day, and revisit times under three hours over key regions, serving defense and intelligence, maritime awareness, disaster response, and infrastructure and asset monitoring use cases [0][2].
Capella was acquired by quantum computing company IonQ, with the transaction announced in May 2025 and completed in July 2025; Capella now operates as an IonQ subsidiary and describes itself as building a quantum-enabled Earth observation network [2][3]. Sources give varying headquarters locations: Wikipedia and company press releases cite San Francisco, California, while an earlier eoPortal profile describes the company as Palo Alto, California-based [3][4][7].
Compiled by commissioned research from 8 cited public sources — announcements, filings, and press listed under research sources below.
Key figures
latest reportedCompany-reported or press-reported figures, each dated to when it was claimed — not independently audited.
Founder mafia
2 people who came through Capella Space went on to found or lead other companies.
Competitors · 4
by search overlap
Companies competing with Capella Space for the same Google search keywords, organic and paid, via search-intersection analysis.
Non-dilutive funding · 5 SBIR/STTR awards
Federal grants — no equity taken| Agency | Phase | Year | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Department of Defense | Phase I | 2022 | $249.6K |
| U.S. Air ForceAir Force | Phase II | 2021 | $1.7M |
| U.S. Air ForceAir Force | Phase I | 2021 | $50K |
| U.S. Air ForceAir Force | Phase II | 2020 | $753K |
| U.S. Air ForceAir Force | Phase I | 2019 | $50K |
Source: SBIR.gov award data (U.S. Small Business Administration). SBIR/STTR awards are competitive federal R&D grants and contracts — non-dilutive capital alongside any venture rounds above.
Timeline · 15
launches, deals, and filingsCompany news listing reports Capella (IonQ's space division) was awarded an NRO Radar Commercial Augmentation contract.
Company news listing reports Capella is preparing to validate a Mynaric optical communications terminal on its latest SAR satellite.
Company news listing reports the debut of an InSAR satellite service for surface/ground-movement monitoring, offered via IonQ.
Quantum computing company IonQ announced its intent to acquire Capella Space in an all-stock transaction in May 2025; the acquisition was completed in July 2025, making Capella an IonQ subsidiary.
Capella received a $15 million U.S. Air Force award to develop a next-generation SAR sensor and an award from the Space Development Agency to participate in the HALO contracting vehicle.
$15M source ↗
Capella closed $60 million in growth equity financing from the U.S. Innovative Technology Fund (chaired by Thomas Tull) to expand imaging capacity, build and launch next-generation Acadia satellites, and develop new data products.
$60M source ↗
Chad Cohen joined as Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer, Glen Elliott as first Chief Human Resources Officer, and Paul Stephen as Chief Information and Security Officer.
Capella was awarded a Proliferated Low Earth Orbit Satellite-Based Services (PLEO) contract through U.S. Space Systems Command supporting the U.S. Space Force, and two NASA Commercial Satellite Data Acquisition contracts (a multi-year blanket purchase agreement and an IDIQ multiple-award contract).
Capella announced the Acadia satellite generation with radar bandwidth increased from 500 MHz to 700 MHz for better resolution and imaging quality, compatible with optical communication terminals.
Series C financing led by NightDragon with participation from existing investors DCVC and Cota Capital, to expand AI-enabled geospatial analytics and imaging offerings and launch next-generation satellites.
$97M source ↗
Capella scaled manufacturing with 40,000 square feet of production space and officially launched commercial operations.
Capella received a $3 million research contract supporting the Space Development Agency's National Defense Space Architecture, selected through a broad agency announcement.
$3M source ↗
Sequoia, Capella's first operational SAR satellite, launched on a Rocket Lab Electron into a 525 km orbit inclined 45.0 degrees with a launch weight of 100 kg, after earlier planned launches on PSLV and Falcon 9 were delayed.
Capella partnered with AWS and Inmarsat to enhance tasking, data processing and downlink speeds; an inter-satellite link with Inmarsat's geostationary network enables real-time tasking.
Capella's 48 kg test satellite Denali launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rideshare mission for on-orbit technology validation.
Dated company events from announcements, filings, and press; legal rows summarize public dockets and regulator releases.
Legal entities · 1
corporate structureIn the news
▸Research sources · 8
primary sources listed
- Capella Spacecapellaspace.com · web
8 public sources were cited for this profile; the first-party ones are listed here.
Frequently asked questions
- What does Capella Space do?
- Capella Space builds and operates X-band SAR satellites delivering all-weather, sub-meter Earth imagery; acquired by IonQ in 2025.
- Who founded Capella Space?
- Capella Space was founded by Payam Banazadeh in 2016.
- Who are Capella Space's investors?
- Capella Space's investors include AME Cloud Ventures, Blue Ivy Ventures, Canaan Partners, Castor Ventures (an Alumni Ventures Fund), Cota Capital, Dorm Room, Harmony Partners, In-Q-Tel and 6 more.
- How much funding has Capella Space raised?
- Capella Space has disclosed $76.8M raised across 4 of its 10 known rounds.
- Where is Capella Space headquartered?
- Capella Space is headquartered in Palo Alto, US.