The industry leader in integrated systems that continuously track space activities to identify threats to security and safety. As LeoLabs grows to become a vital mission partner for integrated military space operations and next-generation space safety systems, Tony will serve as its leader.
Tony’s extensive background fostering innovation at the nexus of national security and commercial space will assist LeoLabs in maintaining its leadership position in the sector and propelling its expansion even further. Most recently, Tony oversaw a $1 billion company that supported missions for the US Government as well as more than 60 foreign clients in his role as Executive Vice President and General Manager of Public Sector Earth Intelligence at Maxar Technologies. Tony gained credibility as a mission partner at Maxar, GeoEye, and DigitalGlobe. He also secured billions of dollars in new contract awards and grew two new businesses to reach past $100 million.
Tony added, He was looking for a company bringing commercial innovation to a critical national security mission after my experience at Maxar. In the developing fields of space situational awareness and space domain awareness, LeoLabs is providing amazing capabilities. LeoLabs was the first business to identify a secondary item that a Russian satellite had discharged in November. Between 2022 and 2023, the company continuously followed China’s spaceplane, identifying many movements, deployments, and docking activities.
Tony stated, At Maxar, we tapped into the distinct potential of our constellation, technological advancements, and our proficiency in geospatial analytics to establish ourselves as the industry leader in Earth Intelligence. LeoLabs has developed the necessary skills at the appropriate moment to turn into a vital mission partner for commercial space operators, allies, and the United States. His goal as CEO of LeoLabs is to accelerate the company’s growth and capitalize on its market momentum.
Congestion and contested space are becoming issues. There were over 2,500 active satellites in low-Earth orbit in 2020. By the end of 2024, this number might surpass 12,000, and by 2030, it might reach 70,000, according to forecasts. Many countries are making significant investments in space, even if the business sector has contributed significantly to this rise. China, for instance, has stated that it plans to construct a constellation of 26,000 satellites. There is a growing demand for a new class of safety and security solutions due to the exponential development of activity in space.
While working at SRI International in 2016, Dan Ceperley co-founded LeoLabs. In his capacity as CEO, Dan oversaw the creation of the business’s in-house radar technology, which allowed it to complete the construction of its first radar site in 2017 and grow the network to encompass ten radars in less than six years. Under his direction, LeoLabs created the fastest and most complete data analytics platform for space operations as well as the largest collection of objects and activities in Low Earth Orbit that is owned by a commercial entity. It has raised more than $120 million in venture capital funding and won numerous multi-million dollar contracts.
Dan, a crucial member of Tony’s leadership team, will take on the job of Chief Operations Officer, overseeing LeoLabs’ engineering and mission operations.
Seeing how the technology LeoLabs produced is being used to affect customer missions is one of my proudest achievements, Dan stated. Threats from space are increasing at a rate never seen before in satellite history. Tony will build upon the excellent skills and client connections we established to become a vital knowledge resource for the international space industry. I’m excited to return to my engineering background and help him by providing the technology necessary to enable this change. We’re working on cutting-edge R&D, software integrations, new AI-powered analytics, and new sensor technology that will make 2024 an exciting year.
Over the past year, LeoLabs has seen significant growth. It is showcasing how its AI-powered solutions may be used for Space Battle Management at the Space Systems Command’s SDA TAP Lab Accelerator after being chosen by the U.S. Space Force. LeoLabs is also assisting foreign allies in setting up their military space operations. Additionally, the business was chosen to supply the historic civil space traffic coordination system of the US Department of Commerce with a commercial foundation.
LeoLabs Board Chairman Manish Kothari praised Dan and the LeoLabs team for taking a young technology that was developed at SRI with funding from the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Defense and growing it from a prototype to a product in lockstep with the expansion of the commercial space business. Dan’s efforts are greatly appreciated by the Board and He was looking forward to what Tony will bring to the table.
Leading supplier of integrated solutions, LeoLabs continuously scans space activities to identify security and safety risks. We maintain a living map of orbital traffic by gathering millions of measurements per day from over 20,000 objects using our exclusive worldwide radar network and AI-enabled data analytics platform. The way government organizations, launch companies, and commercial satellite operators perceive, comprehend, and respond to possibilities to safeguard and defend their assets in space is being revolutionized by LeoLabs.
