Originally published on Tech Crunch by Aria Alamalhodaei @breadfrom / 2:14 PM PDT• June 22, 2023
Space mission management is a complicated beast, too often characterized by complex workflows and information siloes that cost organizations time and money. Continuum Space Systems, a two-year-old startup based in Pasadena, is looking to change that with its unified platform to support the entire life cycle of a space mission.
To further that goal, Continuum announced today that it had closed a $3 million seed extension round, bringing its total funding raised 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 receiving interest in the round, which could increase that amount, Continuum CEO Marc Fagan told TechCrunch in a recent interview.
The startup has close associations with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the California Institute of Technology, the university that founded and manages the lab. Nearly all of Continuum’s employees are from JPL, Fagan said, and the startup’s platform is building upon technology licensed from JPL, though it is not formally affiliated.
On its website, the company describes its cloud-based platform as one that can see mission management through from “concept-to-completion.” The platform suite includes simulations for spacecraft design, deployment and operations, and 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 lifecycle of a mission so customers can focus on their main mission priorities,” Fagan said in a statement.
Among the company’s customers include Radian Aerospace, Accion Systems and the U.S. Space Force.
