LightRidge Solutions Chief Strategy and Growth Officer Joshua Hartman argues that a 2026 timeline set by U.S. Space leaders for rapidly fielding space domain awareness tools and capabilities can be achieved if the government looks to lower cost yet highly capable space- based solutions that are available today.

ATL Partners announced the formation of LightRidge Solutions, a portfolio company focused on the development, design and production of small, affordable, high-performance space and airborne sensors and payloads for vital national security needs. LightRidge is comprised of GEOST, a leading provider of high-end space payloads acquired in 2021 and Ophir Corporation, which develops and manufactures advanced airborne laser radar sensors and was acquired in late 2022.

ATL Partners announced it has formed a new holding company called LightRidge Solutions to oversee a portfolio of space and airborne sensors businesses. Lightridge will absorb space sensor provider GEOST, acquired in 2021, and Ophir Corporation, a company that develops laser radar technology and acquired in 2022.

The private equity firm behind satellite-sensor maker GEOST has created LightRidge, a company focused on “the development, design and production of small, affordable, high-performance space and airborne sensors and payloads for vital national security needs.” LightRidge is made up of Geost and Ophir, which makes airborne laser radar sensors.

GEOST has won two U.S. Space Force contracts to develop an optical sensor payload that can be hosted on government or commercial satellites to scan the geostationary belt

The U.S. Space Force has awarded GEOST a $32 million contract modification for prototype space domain awareness payloads which will be hosted on a number of different satellites.