Muon Space

Muon Space is a start-up Space Systems Provider that designs, builds and operates LEO satellite constellation MuSat. The company is developing a new generation of sensors that monitor Earth’s climate and ecosystems with unprecedented fidelity, to detect and track wildfires, tsunamis and global emissions. 

Muon Space was established in 2021 in Silicon Valley, USA and by July 2023, the company had raised approximately 35 million USD in total funding to allow them to develop the technology for their constellation. The first MicroSat of its constellation, MuSat-1, was launched on June 12^th, 2023, on SpaceX’s Transporter-8 rideshare mission aboard a Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in the USA.

On March 4^th, 2024 MuSat-2 was launched with the Transporter-10 RideShare mission on a Falcon 9 rocket operated by SpaceX. Later in 2024 MuSat-3 will be launched.

Muon’s initial clients include Google, the Environmental Defense Fund (MethaneSAT), and undisclosed partners, all of whom are likely to effectively utilize the company’s first three spacecraft. These spacecrafts employ an unconventional imaging method for Earth-microwaves, offering unique capabilities for observation.

Company History

Muon Space was founded in 2021 by Jonathan Dyer (CEO), Dan McCleese, Paul Day and Reuben Rohrschneider, a proven team from JPL, Skybox Imaging, Loft Orbital, Ball Aerospace, Apple and Google who have led more than 30 successful remote sensing missions. Dyer, former Senior Engineer at Lyft and Skybox and McCleese were involved in the MethaneSAT project, an Environmental Defense Fund (EDF)-driven global methane monitoring satellite, prior to founding Muon Space.

On October 6^th, 2021 the company raised 10 million USD in seed funding from a group of investors led by Costanoa Ventures. The investment was used for further development on their MuSat MicroSat constellation.

In June 2022 Muon Space raised another 25 million USD in a funding round that was led by Radical Ventures, with participation from Costanoa Ventures, Congruent Ventures, Space Capital and Ubiquity Ventures.

On June 12^th, 2023 the company launched the first satellite of its constellation, MuSat-1, on SpaceX’s Transporter-8 rideshare mission aboard a Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in the USA. MuSat-1 weighs 70kgs and will demonstrate the technology developed by Muon for the other satellites in its constellation. 

On November 2^nd, 2023, climate tech company HydroSAT, specialized in delivering satellite imagery and data analytics to measure water stress and climate impact, announced a partnership with Muon Space. The company was awarded by HydroSAT, for its first Constellation-as-a-Service (CaaS) spacecraft that will integrate HydroSAT’s multispectral and thermal infrared (IR) imaging instruments.

On December 6^th, 2023 Muon Space was awarded a contract by the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) to provide commercial electro-optical (EO) capabilities at both the sensor and constellation level for assessment and potential contribution to future NRO missions.

On March 4^th, 2024 the company launched its second MicroSat, MuSat-2 with the Transporter-10 RideShare mission on a Falcon 9 rocket operated by SpaceX.

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Resources

www.muonspace.com
www.siliconangle.com  edition October 6^th, 2021
www.businesswire.com edition October 6^th, 2021
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www.techcrunch.com  edition August 9^th, 2022
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www.spacenews.com  edition June 13^th, 2023
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