Mandala Space Ventures, LLC, a Pasadena-based venture studio exclusively focused on the emerging New Space economy, is proud to announce that it has signed a Cooperative Research And Development Agreement (CRADA) with the Air Force Research Lab’s (AFRL) Space Vehicle Directorate, Spacecraft Division on behalf of the U.S. Space Force’s SpaceWERX.
SpaceWERX, the Space Force’s innovation arm headquartered in Los Angeles, blends commercial innovation with the needs of Space Force warfighters through investment in technologies emerging from private industry, academia, and the government. SpaceWERX forms partnerships between the military’s space operators and top problem solvers in these three sectors.
Mandala Space Ventures (Mandala) is in the business of creating new startup companies focused on the emerging space economy and investing into existing early stage companies focused on space. Mandala offers founders a platform to rapidly develop a space startup by using the deep space-tech provided through its technical staff and broad, leading-edge network.
The initial focus of the CRADA will be SpaceWERX’s Orbital Prime program (https://spacewerx.us/space-prime/). Orbital Prime’s goal is to invigorate the In-Space Servicing, Assembly, and Manufacturing (ISAM) market using Active Debris Remediation as a use case for the foundational technologies. As debris and congestion threaten long-term sustainability of the space domain, Orbital Prime will transition agile, affordable, and accelerated ISAM space capabilities to build the foundation for space logistics while preserving the global commons.
Mandala CEO Dr. Leon Alkalai, retired JPL Fellow, explained, “This CRADA with the Air Force Research Labs’ SpaceWERX is immensely important to Mandala. We are very proud to be of service to the U.S. Space Force and its core mission in space.”
For more information about Mandala Space Ventures, please contact Emma Way at emma@mandalaspaceventures.com or visit www.mandalaspaceventures.com.