Turion Space, a startup based in Irvine, California, has secured a $32.6 million contract from the U.S. Space Force to deploy three small satellites aimed at monitoring and tracking space debris.
This contract falls under the Strategic Financing Initiative (STRATFI) managed by SpaceWERX, the Space Force’s technology innovation division. STRATFI combines government funding with private investment to expedite the development of commercial space systems. The agreement with Turion Space was initially announced in August, with the formal contract awarded on December 18.
Turion Space specializes in satellites and software solutions for space situational awareness, debris removal, and other in-orbit services. The company has previously secured Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contracts from SpaceWERX and NASA to advance its technology.
Under the STRATFI agreement, Turion Space plans to develop three small satellites scheduled for launch in 2026 and 2027. These satellites will operate in both low Earth orbit (LEO) and geostationary orbit (GEO), equipped with payloads for space surveillance and debris tracking. They will feature commercial optical communication terminals to enable high-data-rate, real-time command and control capabilities. Each satellite will carry three space domain awareness payloads and a long-range imager for non-Earth imaging.
Turion launched its first small satellite, Droid.001, in June 2023. This spacecraft was designed for space situational awareness, and the data it collected has been integrated into the Space Force’s Unified Data Library—a centralized repository of commercial and government data. The new STRATFI contract will allow Turion to scale its technology for more complex missions and operational scenarios, focusing on demonstrating rendezvous and proximity operations, which are essential for potential debris removal missions requiring precise maneuvering near other objects in space.
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