Kapta Space raises $24M for moving-target radar payloads

Kapta Space is developing electronically steered radar payloads that satellites could use to scan wide areas and revisit objects as they move. The intended users are defense and intelligence programs seeking continuing tracks across air, sea and land, rather than a single image. The Seattle startup announced a $24 million Series A on October 9, taking its total funding to $30 million.

In a planned mission, a spacecraft carrying Kapta’s hardware would search a broad field, redirect its beam electronically and return to a detected object often enough to maintain its track. That is the difference between spotting something once and preserving what military operators call target custody. The system is designed to deliver those tracks on tactical timelines; it has not yet demonstrated that workflow in orbit.

Kapta calls the architecture MESA, short for Metamaterial Electronically Scanned Array. Its software-defined modules can be combined into apertures of different sizes. The company says that design should cut cost, power demand and manufacturing complexity compared with traditional active electronically scanned arrays—important if a mission requires a large constellation to revisit moving targets frequently.

Kapta’s public plan centers on supplying payloads that integrate with third-party satellite buses and onboard tasking. The company said it secured multiple classified moving-target-indication contracts earlier in 2026 for national-security work.

For commercial markets, Kapta says smaller configurations could provide synthetic-aperture radar imagery to satellite operators. Its website also describes repeat-orbit measurements for mining, energy and transportation, with mission providers and data aggregators helping turn the observations into products. The company says radar collection can continue through darkness, cloud cover and smoke, when optical imagery may be unavailable.

Washington Harbour Partners led the round, with Bison Ventures as co-lead. Kapta said the capital will fund flight qualification, manufacturing expansion and preparation for its first orbital demonstration. The company does not yet have orbital flight heritage: CEO Milton Perque told Payload that two demonstration missions are underway and that he expects flight heritage within 24 to 36 months.