Item 1A. Risk Factors 18
Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments 38
Item 1C Cybersecurity 38
Item 2. Properties 39
Item 3. Legal Proceedings 39
Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures 39
Part II
Item 6. [Reserved] 40
Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk 56
Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data 56
Item 9A. Controls and Procedures 57
Item 9B. Other Information 57
Item 9C. Disclosure Regarding Foreign Jurisdictions that Prevent Inspections 57
Part III
Item 10. Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance 57
Item 11. Executive Compensation 62
Item 14. Principal Accountant Fees and Services 67
Part IV
Item 15. Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules 68
Signatures 70
CAUTIONARY
NOTE ON FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This
Annual Report on Form 10-K contains forward-looking statements which are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of Section 27A of
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended (the “Exchange Act”). These statements may be identified by such forward-looking terminology as “may,”
“should,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “anticipates,” “believes,”
“estimates,” “predicts,” “potential,” “continue” or the negative of these terms or other
comparable terminology. Our forward-looking statements are based on a series of expectations, assumptions, estimates and projections
about our company, are not guarantees of future results or performance and involve substantial risks and uncertainty. We may not actually
achieve the plans, intentions or expectations disclosed in these forward-looking statements. Actual results or events could differ materially
from the plans, intentions and expectations disclosed in these forward-looking statements. Our business and our forward-looking statements
involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties, including the risks and uncertainties inherent in our statements regarding:
● our projected financial position and estimated cash burn rate;
● our estimates regarding expenses, future revenues and capital requirements;
● our ability to continue as a going concern;
● our need to raise substantial additional capital to fund our operations;
● our ability to compete in the global space industry;
● our reliance on third-party suppliers and manufacturers;
● the success of competing products or services that are or become available;
All
of our forward-looking statements are as of the date of this Annual Report on Form 10-K only. In each case, actual results may differ
materially from such forward-looking information. We can give no assurance that such expectations or forward-looking statements will
prove to be correct. An occurrence of, or any material adverse change in, one or more of the risk factors or risks and uncertainties
referred to in this Annual Report on Form 10-K or included in our other public disclosures or our other periodic reports or other documents
or filings filed with or furnished to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) could materially and adversely
affect our business, prospects, financial condition and results of operations. Except as required by law, we do not undertake or plan
to update or revise any such forward-looking statements to reflect actual results, changes in plans, assumptions, estimates or projections
or other circumstances affecting such forward-looking statements occurring after the date of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, even if
such results, changes or circumstances make it clear that any forward-looking information will not be realized. Any public statements
or disclosures by us following this Annual Report on Form 10-K that modify or impact any of the forward-looking statements contained
in this Annual Report on Form 10-K will be deemed to modify or supersede such statements in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
This
Annual Report on Form 10-K may contain estimates and other statistical data made by independent parties and by us relating to market
size and growth and other data about our industry. We obtained the industry and market data in this annual report on Form 10-K from our
own research as well as from industry and general publications, surveys and studies conducted by third parties. This data involves a
number of assumptions and limitations and contains projections and estimates of the future performance of the industries in which we
operate that are subject to a high degree of uncertainty, including those discussed in “Risk Factors.” We caution you not
to give undue weight to such projections, assumptions, and estimates. Further, industry and general publications, studies and surveys
generally state that they have been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, although they do not guarantee the accuracy or completeness
of such information. While we believe that these publications, studies, and surveys are reliable, we have not independently verified
the data contained in them. In addition, while we believe that the results and estimates from our internal research are reliable, such
results and estimates have not been verified by any independent source.
RISK
FACTOR SUMMARY
Our
business is subject to significant risks and uncertainties that make an investment in us speculative and risky. Below we summarize what
we believe are the principal risk factors but these risks are not the only ones we face, and you should carefully review and consider
the full discussion of our risk factors in the section titled “Risk Factors,” together with the other information in this
Annual Report on Form 10-K. If any of the following risks actually occurs (or if any of those listed elsewhere in this Annual Report
on Form 10-K occur), our business, reputation, financial condition, results of operations, revenue, and future prospects could be seriously
harmed. Additional risks and uncertainties that we are unaware of, or that we currently believe are not material, may also become important
factors that adversely affect our business.
PART
I
Throughout
this Annual Report on Form 10-K, references to “we,” “our,” “us,” the “Company,” “Sidus,”
or “Sidus Space” refer to Sidus Space, Inc., individually, or as the context requires, collectively with its subsidiary.
ITEM
1. BUSINESS
Company
Overview
Founded
in 2012, we are a growing U.S. commercial space company with an established manufacturing business who has been trusted to provide mission-critical
space hardware to many of the top aerospace businesses for over a decade. We plan to offer on-orbit services as the space economy expands;
said services are either in a developmental phase or soon to achieve flight heritage. We have strategically decided to expand our business
by moving up the satellite value chain by becoming a provider of responsive and scalable on-orbit infrastructure as well as collecting
Space and Earth observational data to capture larger market needs.
To
address commercial and government customer needs and mission sets, we plan to organize into three core business lines: manufacturing
services; space-infrastructure-as-a-service; and space-based data and insights. Our vertically integrated model is complementary across
each line of business aiming to expand existing and unlock new potential revenue generating opportunities. Additionally, we look to further
transition into a subscription-based model upon the digitization of our manufacturing process as we expand alongside our space-based
focus.
Products
and Services
●
Manufacturing Services: Our manufacturing business is well-established, trusted by industry leaders and growing. Founded in 2012,
we have been manufacturing mission-critical and satellite hardware for over a decade for our principal customers and have supported major
government and commercial space programs like NASA’s Artemis / Lunar Gateway missions, xEVAS, Boeing’s Starliner, Sierra’s
Dream Chaser, Airbus’ OneWeb Satellites and the International Space Station.
Our
manufacturing business operates within a 35,000 square foot facility and is adjacent to our clean-room facility. We hold an AS9100 Aerospace
certification, and we are International Traffic In Arms Regulations (ITAR) compliant thereby positioning us, in combination with our
existing tooling and capability, to address unique high-precision manufacturing requirements.
●
Space-Infrastructure-as-a-Service: We are in the process of developing and launching space-based infrastructure and establishing
related ground-infrastructure support elements. Technology providers, constellation service providers and space-based data consumers
are expected to be our principal customers. Collectively, the end-to-end infrastructure that results is offered as “Space-as-a-Service”
to commercial customers and “Defense-as-a-Service” to certain government customers.
Leveraging
our industry experience and flight heritage, we are producing our own line of hybrid additively manufactured (3D printed) satellites
in-house (LizzieSats) that are engineered to have the capacity and adaptability to simultaneously host payloads for Sidus driven purposes
(see Space-Data-as-a-Service below) and/or offer ‘ride-share’ opportunities for technology customers to deliver data to their
end users. We anticipate “bookings” on our infrastructure in our planned ‘rideshare program’ as a key performance
metric.
Our
Space-Infrastructure-as-a-Service offering plans to provide: satellite design, satellite manufacture, constellation operations, and payload
hosting.
As
of December 2023, we have:
Over
time, we plan to begin introducing additional services beyond on-orbit infrastructure services which may include lunar mapping missions,
in support of government requirements for on-orbit maneuverability. Each business opportunity is evaluated on an individual business
case basis and safeguarded against risk to our core business.
●
Space Data-as-a-Service and Insights: We plan to be a global provider of space-based data and insights by exclusively collecting data
that only can be captured from space with no terrestrial alternatives. We plan to initially focus on creating offerings in Earth-based
observations and Space situational awareness. These decisions are reinforced by the growing and large addressable markets they represent.
To
date, the space-based data industry has largely launched one-satellite, one-payload, one-mission constellations to deliver one general
data type. Subsequently, downstream processing and associated analytics, at times, have experienced false-positives and ambiguous data
sets diminishing the value and utility of space-based data.
Our
LizzieSat satellite platform addresses this shortcoming by allowing for differentiated data collection when compared to industry alternatives.
We plan to lead the next generation of Earth and Space data collection by:
●
Collecting on-orbit coincident data: LizzieSat is capable of hosting multiple-sensors on the same satellite to collect varying data types
at the same time and with the same collection geometry. On-orbit coincident collection benefits users by decreasing false positives with
complementary datasets that reinforce one another.
●
Analyzing data on the satellite on-orbit at “the edge”: To maximize value and speed in data processing, in August 2023, we
acquired substantially all of the assets of Exo-Space, a cutting-edge Artificial Intelligence (AI) company to better facilitate (AI)
and Machine Learning (ML) on-board the satellite through hardware and software development. Our plans include integrating radiation hardened
AI/ML capabilities alongside our on-orbit coincident data collection.
●
Reducing data size: By processing data at the edge on-board LizzieSat, we expect to first reduce the file size by transmitting only the
processed solution, not the entire raw dataset. This enables us to move data from low-Earth orbit to higher orbit data relay services
(like Iridium) for a lower-cost and more continual data transmission option to our customers.
The
net value of data collected from our planned LizzieSat constellation allows organizations to make better decisions with higher confidence,
increased accuracy and speed. The Company enriches this processed data with customizable analytics users control for their own-use case,
and in turn provides data as a subscription across industries to organizations so they are able to improve decision-making and mitigate
risk.
We
support a broad range of international and domestic governments and commercial companies with hardware manufacturing including the Netherlands
Organization, U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Department of Defense, NASA, Collins Aerospace, Lockheed Martin, Teledyne Marine, Bechtel,
OneWeb Satellites, Parsons Corporation and L3Harris in areas that include launch vehicles, satellite hardware, and autonomous underwater
vehicles. Planned services that benefit current and future customers include delivering space-based data that can provide critical insight
for agriculture, commodities tracking, disaster assessment, illegal trafficking monitoring, energy, mining, oil and gas, fire monitoring,
classification of vegetation, soil moisture, carbon mass, Maritime AIS, Aviation ADS, and weather monitoring; providing the ability for
customers to demonstrate that a technology (hardware or software) performs successfully in the harsh environment of space and delivering
space services. We plan to own and operate one of the industry’s leading U.S. based low earth orbit (“LEO”) small satellite
(“smallsat” or “smallsats”) constellations focused on earth observation and remote sensing. Our operating strategy
is to continue to enhance the capabilities of our satellite constellation, to increase our international and domestic partnerships and
to expand our co-incident data analytics offerings in order to increase the value we deliver to our customers. Our two operating assets—our
satellite constellation and hardware manufacturing capability—are mutually reinforcing and are a result of years of heritage and
innovation.
Key
Factors Affecting Our Results and Prospects
We
believe that our performance and future success depend on several factors that present significant opportunities but also pose risks
and challenges, including competition from better known and well-capitalized companies, the risk of actual or perceived safety issues
and their consequences for our reputation and the other factors discussed under “Risk Factors.” We believe the factors discussed
below are key to our success.
Growing
our experienced space hardware operations
We
are on track to grow our space and defense hardware operations, with a goal of expanding to two and a half shifts with an increased customer
base in the future. With current customers in space, marine, and defense industries, our contract revenue is growing, and we are in active
discussions with numerous potential customers, including government agencies, large defense contractors and private companies, to add
to our contracted revenue. In the past decade, we have fabricated Ground and Flight products for the NASA SLS Rocket and Mobile Launcher
as well as other Commercial Space and Satellite companies. Customers supported include Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Dynetics/Leidos,
Blue Origin, United Launch Alliance, Collins Aerospace, L3Harris, OneWeb and Space Systems Loral/Maxar. Various products have been manufactured
including fluid, hydraulic and pneumatic systems, electrical control systems, cable harnesses, hardware lifting frames, umbilical plates,
purge and hazardous gas disconnects, frangible bolts, reef cutters, wave guides, customized platforms, and other precision machined and
electrical component parts for all types of Rockets, Ground, Flight and Satellite systems.
Commencing
and Expanding Commercial Satellite Operations
Our
goal is to help customers understand how space-based data can be impactful to day-to-day business. Our strategy includes increasing the
demand downstream by starting out as end user focused. While others are focused on data verticalization strategy specializing on a key
sectors or problem set, we believe that flexibility in production, low-cost bespoke design and ‘Bringing Space Down to Earth’
for consumers will provide a scalable model for growth. With LizzieSat design reviews (PDR and CDR) successfully completed in 2022, we
began LizzieSat integration and testing in Q1 2023. We completed critical command and data system testing which validated the proper
functioning of the communications and data transfer paths between a LizzieSat satellite in space and the KSAT, Atlas Space Operations
and Leaf Space ground stations, a requirement for mission success of the LizzieSatTM constellation. In Q4 2023, we completed the
required environmental testing for launch on the SpaceX Falcon 9 and successfully launched and deployed our first satellite in March
2024.
In
Q1 2023 we signed an agreement with SkyWatch for use of its TerraStream data-management platform. This agreement is expected to accelerate
the expansion of Sidus’ commercial data distribution strategy, which includes white labeling data for the Company’s existing
customers as well as driving growth of new data customers. Serving as a key contributor to the Space data marketplace, the agreement
is expected to generate additional revenue for the Company and engage customers that otherwise may not have connected with Sidus. In
Q3 2023 we announced the acquisition of substantially all the assets of Exo-Space, a cutting-edge California based firm specializing
in Edge Artificial Intelligence (AI) software and hardware applications in order to integrate EdgeAI capabilities into our planned constellation
with ExoSpace’s FeatherEdge AI platform which will enable us to deliver near real-time intelligence derived from Earth Observation
data. Further expanding the capabilities of our constellation, we announced an agreement with SatLab to implement its second-generation
automated identification system (AIS) technology into the LizzieSatTM satellite constellation. AIS technology uses sophisticated
systems on board marine vessels to identify and track ships to prevent collisions and protect life at sea. The integration of this technology
into Sidus’s satellites will enable more accurate vessel tracking and monitoring while providing valuable information about ship
movements in real time.
We
have previously been approved for our X-band and S-band radio frequencies licensing through a published filing by the ITU on April 4,
2021. Such licenses are held through Aurea Alas, Ltd., an Isle of Man company, which is a VIE to us. The ITU filing contains approved
spectrum use for multiple X-Band and S-Band frequencies and seven different orbital planes, including 45 degrees. . In August 2023, the
FCC granted Sidus a LizzieSat-1 launch and operating license for launch and deploy on a SpaceX Falcon 9 mission called Transporter 10
to include approval for orbital operations utilizing the previously approved ITU S-band and X-band frequencies and ground station coverage.
We have also filed an FCC Part 25 license request for the LizzieSat satellite constellation missions one through six. The FCC Part 25
license request has gone through the mandatory review period and is pending approval. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
(NOAA), an agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce, granted a Tier 1 license authorizing Sidus to operate LizzieSat 1-3, a private
remote-sensing space system comprised of 3 satellites (LizzieSat #1 through LizzieSat #3 or LS-1 through LS-3) in 2024. The imagery from
Pan and SEIR imagers will be integrated into our FeatherBox AI onboard processor and combined with Automated Information Systems (AIS)
data to detect marine traffic migration and illegal fishing activities, detect methane emissions and detect vegetative stress in various
agricultural areas. Any delays in commencing our commercial launch operations, including due to delays or cost overruns in obtaining
NOAA licenses or other regulatory approvals for future operations or frequency requirements, could adversely impact our results and growth
plans.
Our
Vertically Integrated Space Infrastructure
We
are designing, developing, manufacturing, and planning to operate a constellation of proprietary smallsats. These satellites are designed
for multiple missions and customers and form the foundation of our satellite platform. Weighing approximately 100 kilograms each, these
hybrid 3D printed, modular satellites are more functional than cubesats and nanosatellites and less expensive to manufacture than the
larger satellites in the 200-600kg range. Launched into a LEO and operating in diverse orbits (28°-98° inclination, 300-650km
altitude) as approved by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) in February 2021, our constellation will be optimally distributed
to provide maximum coverage for our customers in the government and commercial sectors. With six initial globally distributed ground
stations, our constellation is designed for rapid tasking, collection, and delivery of high-revisit, high-resolution imagery and data
analytics. As our satellite constellation grows, the amount of data we collect will scale, and we expect our revisit rate will improve.
Our
cost-efficient smallsats are designed from the ground-up to optimize performance per unit cost. We can integrate technologies and deliver
data on demand at lower costs than legacy providers due to our vertical integration, use of Customer Off the Shelf (COTS) proven systems,
cost-efficiencies, capital efficient constellation design, and adaptable pricing models.
We
manufacture our satellites at our Cape Canaveral facility. Our current configuration and facility is designed to manufacture 5-10 satellites
a month. Our vertical integration enables us to control our satellites through the entire design, manufacturing, and operation process.
Our years of experience manufacturing space hardware means we are able to leverage our manufacturing expertise and commercial best practices
for satellite production. Additionally, leveraging both in-house and partner-provided subsystem components and in-house design and integration
services, as well as operational support of satellites on orbit, to provide turn-key delivery of entire constellations offer “concept
to constellation” in months instead of years. Specifically, our Space and Defense-as-a-Service offerings encompass all aspects
of hosted satellite and constellation services, including hosting customer payloads onto our satellites, and delivering data and constellation
services to customers from our space platform. These services are expected to allow customers to focus on developing innovative payloads
rather than having to design or develop complete satellite buses or satellites or constellations, which we will provide, along with ancillary
services that are likely to include telemetry, tracking and control (“TT&C”), communications, processing, as well as
software development and maintenance. Our patented space-related technologies include a print head for regolith-polymer mixture and associated
feedstock; a heat transfer system for regolith; a method for establishing a wastewater bioreactor environment; vertical takeoff and landing
pad and interlocking pavers to construct same; and high-load vacuum chamber motion feedthrough systems and methods. Regolith is a blanket
of unconsolidated, loose, heterogeneous superficial deposits covering solid rock. It includes dust, broken rocks, and other related materials
and is present on Earth, the Moon, Mars, some asteroids, and other terrestrial planets and moons. We continue to patent our products
including our satellites, external platforms and other innovations.
Revenue
Generation
We
generate revenue by selling payload space on our satellite platform, providing engineering and systems integration services to strategic
customers on a project-by-project basis, and manufacturing space hardware. Additionally, we intend to add to our revenue by selling geospatial
data and actionable intelligence captured through our constellation. This support is typically contracted to both commercial and government
customers under fixed price contracts and often includes other services. Due to the size and capacity of our satellite, we plan to host
a diverse array of sensors such as Multispectral and Hyperspectral Earth Observing Imagers, Maritime Vessel RF Tracking receivers, UHF
IoT Transceivers, Optical Communications gear and others on a single platform that can simultaneously address the needs of many customer
requirements.
Lowering
Manufacturing Cost and Schedule
We
are developing a manufacturing model that provides rapid response to customer requirements including integration of customers technologies
and space-based data delivery. Our planned satellites are being designed to integrate Customer Off the Shelf (COTS) subsystems that are
space-proven, can be rapidly integrated into the satellite and replaced rapidly when customer needs change or evolve. Our vertically
integrated manufacturing processes give us the flexibility to make changes during the production cycle without impacting launch or costs.
Environmental,
social, and corporate governance
While
Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) reporting is not mandatory, we are developing an ESG policy that will implement the tracking
of several indicators we believe are critical to ensure we are doing our part to continue sustainable growth and maximize shareholder
value. We have been in business for over ten years manufacturing space hardware and components, and in that time, implementation of policies
and processes to mitigate environmental impact have been of upmost importance. Furthermore, since our inception, we have recognized the
value of our employees and have always prioritized employee well-being through facets such as excellent benefits, programs, educational
assistance, and insurance of a safe and healthy work environment. We also understand that our efforts to promote value and well -being
are not limited to our employees. We are committed to the communities we belong to both locally and professionally. We recently started
to formalize this commitment, providing tangible benefits back to the community that supports us.
Environmental
As
the global awareness and importance of environmental sustainability increases, we recognize our duty to implement developments that not
only facilitate the evolution of aerospace solutions, but also promote environmentally conscious protocols yielding measurable results
toward the conservation of our planet. A key component of our focus on sustainability is found in our utilization of in-house 3D printing
technology as a primary manufacturing asset. The development of 3D printing is host to a variety of manufacturing improvements but perhaps
the chief benefits are seen in its reduction of environmental strain. Our LizzieSat constellation will contribute to this reduced impact
as a portion of the satellite bus is 3D printed.
Manufacturing
parts with a 3D printer reduces overall energy consumption and waste, reducing our carbon footprint compared to its predecessor of conventional
machining. Additional benefits include the removal of waste and unnecessary energy associated with conventional machining, often resulting
in the production of more scrapped material per part than the material that part is composed of. While these are the biggest impacts,
the effects too can be seen in smaller scales. Due to the massive reduction in weight 3D printing provides, energy spent using cargo
ships and commercial vehicles for transportation sees a significant decrease. This reduction in weight is accompanied by a reduction
in space requirements for housing the material, cutting out the need for large storage spaces and the energy needed to maintain those
facilities.
Looking
toward the future, the potential for exciting developments in the field of sustainability are of upmost importance. These developments
include the use of more biodegradable and/or recycled materials that can be used to manufacture parts and further benefit the environment.
Until these developments occur, we are doing our part through the practice of recycling roughly 5,000 lbs. of metal a year coupled with
the recycling of any used oil and coolant. As technologies continue to advance, we remain dedicated to preserving the Earth and continuing
to evolve with newer technologies as they develop.
Social
We
recognize the importance of our employees, the community with which we are situated as well as the global community. This recognition
has led us to implement a variety of actions that support society from the individual to global scale.
Employee
well-being is at the heart of our commitment to provide a positive impact on all. With our core values being rooted in a familial and
communal structure, we uphold these values by offering our employees excellent benefits, programs, educational assistance, and insurance
of a safe and healthy work environment for all employees. We understand the importance of diversity in the workplace because it was built
by diversity.
Community
on all scales is fundamental to our success, and because of that, we are committed to leaving a lasting impact on the community that
supports us. This commitment brought forth Sidus Serves, our way of actively improving life on earth. Community involvement is key to
our culture, and we believe in the power of volunteerism. We actively invest in the communities of our employees’ by supporting
K-12 education, providing military and veteran assistance, environmental stewardship, and volunteering at local non-profit organizations.
We, and our employees, are passionate about the improvement of their communities through individual efforts and partnership with local,
regional, and national organizations. We are proud to support local STEM programs and schools in local communities. We are focused on
bridging the gap in the aerospace field by supporting young professionals through establishing partnerships with several organizations
dedicated to providing STEM learning opportunities to a diverse array of students.
Governance
Our
governance structure is designed to promote transparency, efficiency, and ethics. Through a qualified and diverse chain of command, we
are confident that our decision making will carry out performance at the highest degree. Our Board of Directors consists of professionals
with strong executive experience, business strategy and leadership skills. Our board consists of 3 independent directors alongside our
CEO and CTO including 2 women.
Our
Growth Strategies
We
are focused on empowering end users, developers, channel partners and the organizations they serve to quickly and easily access and integrate
real-time geospatial intelligence into their daily operations and also prove out technologies to further grow the space ecosystem. Our
growth strategy is driven by the following objectives:
Increase
our overall customer base. We are an established heritage aerospace firm that is a part of the political and secular shift towards
space-based data coming from commercial satellite and intelligence providers. We have the opportunity to expand our current customer
base through a combination of direct and indirect sales strategies. We also plan to grow our direct sales teams and indirect sales channels.
Expand
within our current customer base. As our space-as-a-service offerings grows and delivers results, we expect that our current customers
will increase their spending on our services.
Continue
to penetrate international markets. We have increased our focus on international markets. We have a current pipeline of prospective
small underrepresented international governments and firms that can benefit from our support and services.
Grow
distribution channels and channel partner ecosystem. We plan to invest in distribution channels and in our relationships with technology
partners, solution providers, strategic global system integrators, solution partners, and value-added-resellers to help us enter into
and expand in new markets while complementing our direct sales efforts. We have also established a Joint Cooperation and Marketing Agreement
with Dhruva, India’s first private space company, to co-market, and sell our services in other countries.
Global
Space Industry Overview
In
recent years, the importance of the space economy has been growing as technological advances in both satellites and supporting terrestrial
technologies have enabled new commercial use cases. These use cases include satellite broadband, remote imaging, Internet-of-Things (“IOT”)/Machine-to-Machine
(“M2M”) communications, defense-related applications, as well as others. As a result, several new and existing operators
have announced new satellite constellations to serve these use cases. Many of these announced constellations will consist of small LEO
satellites rather than large GEO satellites. With the flux of new entrants at all levels of the value chain, the small satellite value
chain has continued to evolve, especially in the launch sector, downstream value-added applications, M&As and consolidation between
stakeholders.
The
rapid pace of innovation and technological advancements continue to drive the commercialization of space-based data, analytics, and insights,
enhancing their relevance to businesses, governments, and the general public. Furthermore, the demand for data that can be collected
from space is growing rapidly while the cost of accessing space is decreasing. Several key trends have emerged in the new space economy,
including the expansion of constellations and the availability of space-based data, the shift in user demand towards analytics and insights,
climate change adaptation, global security concerns, and advancements in on-board technologies.
According
to Citi Report 2022: Space – Dawn of a New Age: published in 2022, forecasts a $1 trillion annual revenue for the space
economy by 2040, an increase from $370 billion in 2020 with forecasts of strong growth in satellites, government space budgets, as well
as new applications and industries in the field of space exploration.1 In addition, Prospects for the Small Satellite Market
– A Euroconsult Report 8th Edition July 2022, expects that over the next decade, the total manufacturing and launch
market value for small satellites is expected to reach $84 billion, more than 3.5 times the market value over 2012-2021. Although this
indicates significant growth, it does not reflect the six-fold increase in the mass of smallsats resulting from the rise of cubesats,
constellations and the introduction of low-cost systems for both manufacturing and launch, which reduce average costs per satellite.
Rapid
growth in private investment in the commercial space industry has led to a wave of new companies reinventing major elements of the traditional
space industry, including human spaceflight, satellites, and launch, in addition to unlocking entirely new market segments. Furthermore,
government agencies have realized the value of the private commercial space industry and have become increasingly more supportive and
reliant on private companies to catalyze innovation and advance national space objectives. In the United States, this has been evidenced
by notable policy initiatives and by commercial contractors’ growing share of space activity.
Launch
Market
Space
access has traditionally been limited to those with significant capital expenditures, with launch costs remaining high, with few exceptions.
Launch costs have traditionally been the primary bottleneck impeding the development of orbital activities. The frequency and availability
of launches, while acceptable for the legacy market (several times a year), has proved paralyzing to some operators of small satellites.
Although new launch provider entrants seek to offer higher launch rates and more flexibility to small satellites, capital remains the
main barrier to entry.
After
years of launch bottlenecks, smallsats now enjoy more launch options as new launchers, brokers and smallsat dispensers become available
and facilitate access to space. According to Euroconsult, the smallsat launch market which was valued at $7.6 billion is set to grow
by +279% to $28.4 billion, however much of that launch value remains captive of national industries and vertically integrated players
(e.g., SpaceX). Since the demand for small satellites had been fragmented and considered less profitable than larger satellites, launch
providers had not actively pursued the launch business. However, this has now changed, as the launch supply has adapted rapidly.
Small
Satellite Market
Since
2018, a paradigm shift in the commercial space market has resulted in an increased demand for smallsats. Euroconsult states that smallsats
have become smaller in size over the past few years but have gained in performance. Technical advances have allowed them to expand their
mission capabilities, making them more resilient, effective, and lower cost. Miniaturization is a continuous process that allows the
customer to choose between lighter satellites with no change in capabilities, or bigger, more powerful, and more capable satellites with
greater capabilities. Other technical enablers include, but are not limited to:
❖ Extension of electrical propulsion use;
❖ Miniaturization of attitude sensors;
❖ Solar cells and batteries’ efficiency improvement;
❖ COTS solutions for bus electronics; 3D printing.
The
demand for large geosynchronous satellites declined dramatically as companies prepared to launch constellations of smaller, cheaper broadband
satellites in low and medium Earth orbits, resulting in a dramatic decrease in demand for large geosynchronous communications satellites.
New technologies in space and space-related sectors, particularly computational technologies, and data analytics, are facilitating the
miniaturization of satellite systems, thereby improving the market. Due to this, smallsats are now able to provide operational services
previously only available through heavier satellites. Euroconsult anticipates that about 18,500 smallsats (<500 kg) will launch over
2022-2031, or about 365 tons per year, (i.e., one ton per day on average over the next 10 years).
Moreover,
the rise of this market has also created a new market segment in nanosatellites and microsatellites, weighing less than 10 kg and between
10 and 100 kg, respectively. While these satellites can be deployed individually, they can also be operated as part of a constellation,
a large group of satellites interconnected to provide a service, such as the Starlink satellite constellation’s offering of global
internet connectivity. According to Euroconsult, the smallsat manufacturing market, which was valued at $15.5 billion over 2012-2021,
is set to grow by +258% to $55.6 billion over 2022-2031, driven by the multiplication of constellation projects from both commercial
and government stakeholders. The next decade will be defined primarily by the rollout of multiple constellation projects, which will
account for 81% of smallsats, mainly for commercial operators. A total of 3,335 smallsats <10 kg are expected to launch throughout
the next decade, i.e., more than twice the 1,656 launched over 2012-2021. Satellites in this category, especially cubesats, have gained
momentum recently: 1,187 were launched in the past 5 years alone.
The
growth in the LEO satellite constellations market is being driven by technological advances in ground equipment, new business models,
expanded funding, and growing demand for high bandwidth and lower latency. Though this satellite constellations market remains nascent
in maturity, we anticipate considerable growth over the coming years in the launch industry as companies continue to seek versatile and
low-cost ways to deliver single satellites to specific orbits or deploy their satellite constellations. Furthermore, we anticipate the
growth of the satellite constellations market to contribute business to our Satellite Services offerings. LEO satellite constellations
have relatively short lifespans on orbit, resulting in a requirement to launch replenishment satellites every few years.
Our
Products and Services
Space
Services
We
provide the following services to our customers:
Satellite/Space
Hardware Manufacturing
For
over a decade, we have manufactured space-rated and human-rated hardware and components. During this time, we have provided components
and systems for the International Space Station, the Boeing Starliner, NASA’s SLS, Lockheed Martin’s Orion, and several other
programs and customers.
At
a combined 35,000 square-feet, our manufacturing facilities are all encompassing allowing us to vertically integrate and pipeline the
manufacturing process without the need for outsourcing of precision machining, electronics assembly and testing, or 3D printing.
LEO
Launch and Deployment Services
We
strive to become a trusted platform for providing an affordable approach for launch, payload hosting, and deployment services in space.
Our planned diverse range of launch, in-orbit, and deployment platforms is planned to be tailored to complement any mission.
Space-Based
Geospatial Intel, Imagery and Data Analytics
We
anticipate delivering reliable high-impact analytics and insights to international and domestic customers by combining our platform with
multiple imaging solutions to increase the efficacy and emergence of data. We intend to collect, analyze, enrich, and deliver data gathered
from our custom constellation to provide intelligent analytics to its customers. Our comprehensive data collection is expected to create
a repository of insights for aviation, maritime, weather, space services, earth intelligence and observation, and federal industries
from the ultimate vantage point – space.
Space
Platforms
We
anticipate offering a variety of affordable space platforms which allow our clients to conduct full missions and/or test new technologies
in space at a reduced schedule and cost. Our platforms include:
External
Flight Test Platform (EFTP)
Our
External Flight Test Platform offers multiple industries to develop, test, and fly experiments, hardware, materials, and advanced electronics
on the ISS at a reduced cost and schedule. Potential payloads include optical communications, materials, satellite components, electroplating,
and pharmaceutical testing. The EFTP includes integration and delivery to the ISS and has a typical deployment period of 15 weeks. All
payloads can be returned after the mission if requested by the payload provider. Our EFTP is characterized by:
● Highly reconfigurable platform
● Power: 28V connectors (up to 2 available)
● Flight computer available to support a wide array of sensor data
● GPS patch antenna option
LizzieSatTM
(LS)
LizzieSat
(LS) is currently in development as a hybrid 3D manufactured Low Earth Orbit (LEO) microsatellite that focuses on rapid, cost-effective
development and testing of innovative spacecraft technologies for multiple customers. LS is planned to combine static component testing
and LEO spacecraft development and deployment to provide complete life cycle services to commercial and government customers for Internal
Research & Development (IR&D), data analytics and/or proof of concept. We anticipate that LS will leverage our in-house low-cost
additive manufacturing of satellites using the Markforged X7, an industrial 3D printer featuring a dual nozzle print system that supports
continuous carbon fiber and Kevlar reinforcement, to provide rapid, agile development of spacecraft due to its modular design.
Controlling
the satellite production process from design through manufacturing enables us to upgrade our satellites during production and also integrate
customer technologies at varying points during the build process. This allows us to continuously improve our satellites’ capabilities
as well as build out and maintain our constellation at a relatively low cost.
SSIKLOPS
(Space Station Integrated Kinetic Launcher for Orbital Payload Systems)
We
provide turnkey services to manage and execute the successful integration and on-orbit operations of satellite payloads using the International
Space Station Integrated Kinetic Launcher for Orbital Payload Systems (SSIKLOPS). SSIKLOPS fills the payload deployment gap between small
CubeSat launchers and major payloads by supporting the Low Earth Orbit (LEO) microsatellite market (up to 116kg). The SSIKLOPS is a mechanism
used to robotically deploy satellites from the ISS and is designed to provide a method to transfer internally stowed satellites to the
external environment.
On
November 5, 2018 we were awarded a 5-year indefinite delivery indefinite quantity contract by NASA to provide services to manage and
perform the work for the successful integration and on-orbit operations of the platform for U.S. government customers with the option
to utilize the platform for commercial efforts as well. Pursuant to the agreement, we are responsible for marketing and operating the
SSIKLOPS as well as sustaining the SSIKLOPS and associated hardware.
Our
offerings include operation, engineering, and manufacturing to provide full life-cycle payload support. SSIKLOPS utilizes NASA’s
ISS resupply vehicles to launch small satellites to the ISS in a controlled pressurized environment in soft stow bags. The satellites
are processed through the ISS pressurized environment by the astronaut crew allowing satellite system diagnostics prior to orbit insertion.
Orbit insertion is achieved through use of the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency’s Experiment Module Robotic Airlock (JEM Airlock),
and one of the ISS Robotic Arms. Sidus and SSIKLOPS provide small satellites the infrastructure to be deployed from the ISS into LEO
with minimal technical, environmental, logistical, and cost challenges.
Phoenix
Deployer
Phoenix
is currently in development as a CubeSat deployer utilizing the SSIKLOPS deployment platform to deploy CubeSats from the ISS. Phoenix
offers a low-cost and high availability deployer option for CubeSats within the 3U to 12U range. U refers to the standard ‘Cubesat’
dimensions (Units or “U”) of 10 cm x 10 cm x 10 cm which are used to describe space on spacecraft). We anticipate that Phoenix
will offer:
● 3U CubeSats (Up to 12)
● 6U CubeSats (Up to 6)
● 12U CubeSats (Up to 3)
Aerospace
and Defense Manufacturing Services
Our
manufacturing capabilities combine our design engineering, precision machining, waterjet cutting, and wire harness fabrication experience
to provide the highest quality and performance for mission critical systems.
Precision
Machining and Assembly
Our
growing team of engineers and technicians, combined with state-of-the-art equipment support precision machining, fabrication, and assembly
for prototypes, test articles, one-offs, low-rate initial production up through high volume Swiss screw machining production. We utilize
the latest CNC machining and turning processes to deliver high-quality, complex and on-demand parts for specialized industries including
the space sector.
● CNC Swiss Screw Machining
● CMM, VCMM Quality Inspection
● EDM Wire and Waterjet Cutting
● 3-D Printing
● Welding
3D
Printing
From
early-stage product development to functional finished parts, Sidus offers commercial and industrial-grade additive manufacturing solutions.
Our 3D printers enable us to provide rapid manufacturing with industrial micron-level laser scanning accuracy and 50 μm repeatability.
Using Continuous Fiber Fabrication technology, we can produce parts at an enhanced schedule that are stronger than 6061 Aluminum and
40% lighter. Sidus provides internal engineering support to optimize the functional performance, product life cycle, and accuracy of
its customers’ specific 3D printed technology to ensure repeatability and consistency across prints. Our 3D printing capabilities
include:
● Functional Prototypes and Models
● Production Parts
● End-life Production
● Tool Development
● Patterns and Molds
● Jigs and Fixtures
● Fly-Away Parts
Mechanical/Electrical
Assembly and Test
● Flight/Ground Cable and Wire Harnesses
● Ground Support Equipment
● Manned Spaceflight Rated Hardware
● Satellite Components
● Part Task Trainer Hardware
As
part of our 35,000 square foot manufacturing facility, we have a reconfigurable electronics and cable harness fabrication lab with the
necessary equipment, staff and square footage to produce space flight and ground cables and electronic chassis. Our experience and capabilities
include manufacturing, assembly and testing of a wide selection of electrical control cabinet and electronic cabinet modification and
fabrication processes. We have extensive experience assembling electronics, including soldering, crimping, multi-pinned connector terminations,
fusion splicing, molding, potting, and testing.
Certifications
include NASA 8739.4, NASA 8739.5, J STD 001 and IPC A 610. Our IPC-J-STD-001 accredited technicians adhere to NASA work standards KSC-E-165,
KSC-GP-864, KSC-STD-132, all required for NASA 8739.4 credentials with other industry-standard certifications.
Design
Engineering
We
provide quality in-house design engineering services from up-front analysis to integration, assembly, and test. Our ISO 9001:2015 / AS9100D
certified engineering capabilities include the ability to perform initial design concepts or value-add engineering change recommendations
to existing engineering. Our multidisciplinary engineering experience and talent cover a broad spectrum of capabilities, enabling an
even more comprehensive range of projects. Our design engineering capabilities include:
● Requirements Definition – Product development and process optimization
● Test Procedures and Performance – Meets customer driven requirements
● Operations/Maintenance Manuals – Fully integrated and procedurally driven
● Model Based Data Control – Complex design verification/validation
● Finite Element and Failure Mode & Effects Analysis
● Design for Manufacturability
Program
Management
We
provide Program and Project Management to help improve project performance and provide oversight of complex projects and contracts through
day-to-day support and expert knowledge. With a business culture that always puts the customer first, we provide dedicated project management
services throughout the lifecycle of our customer’s project or program to ensure the project goes according to schedule. Program
management services include:
● Supply chain management
● Customer requirement compliance
● Logistics and configuration management
● Resource and budget control
● Schedule
Customer
/ Market Research
The
need to provide commercial testing capabilities in space has been growing for many years and has become a requirement for many innovating
companies. According to Euroconsult’s Prospectus for the Small Satellite Market, 8th Edition released in July of 2022, Euroconsult