Lunasonde

Market position

Lunasonde describes itself as a pioneer in aerial georadiotomography and positions itself against traditional geophysical exploration methods. It characterizes the subsurface imaging market it addresses as a $100+ billion industry, the critical minerals opportunity as tied to a $4 trillion clean energy transition, and the space exploration and planetary science opportunity as $50B+.

Lunasonde describes its approach as aerial and non-invasive — scanning deep underground without drilling or ground disturbance — and as platform-agnostic, allowing the same technique to be applied from terrestrial operations through to lunar and planetary missions. It claims exploration that is 10x faster and cheaper than traditional methods with superior accuracy, and positions itself as a pioneer in aerial georadiotomography.

Technology

Aerial georadiotomography (aGRT) uses low-frequency radio to generate a 3D compositional image of the subsurface, producing high-resolution subsurface maps from airborne platforms without drilling. The company describes the technology as platform-agnostic, adaptable from terrestrial use to lunar and planetary missions.

Go-to-market

Mining and resource exploration operators seeking critical minerals, defense users concerned with detecting tunnels and cavities in contested areas, and space and planetary exploration missions requiring subsurface scanning.

Geography

United States, with listed locations in Cortaro and Marana, Arizona, Plaza Del Sol and Tucson, Arizona.

History

The company is based in the Tucson, Arizona area, with locations listed in Cortaro/Marana, Plaza Del Sol in Tucson, and elsewhere in Arizona. Its earlier public positioning centered on sub-surface imaging from space and deployment integration services; its current presentation emphasizes aerial radar scanning of the subsurface with mining, defense and space use cases, and it describes a partnership with Blue Origin and the Orbital Reef consortium. Lunasonde is a portfolio company of Seldor Capital.