Introducing Observable Space
Introducing Observable Space: A Merger of Leading Telescope Manufacturer, PlaneWave Instruments, and Former SpaceX Software Executive’s Company, OurSky
Observable Space is developing the world’s first software-defined telescopes and other vertically integrated software and hardware products to help solve the toughest challenges in space observation
The company is also building the world’s largest telescope network to reduce the costs and complexities of traditional space data acquisition
LOS ANGELES/ ADRIAN, MI (February 5, 2025) — OurSky, a company founded by SpaceX’s former VP of software engineering creating a developer platform for space data applications, and PlaneWave Instruments, the leader in advanced telescope design and manufacturing, announced today they have merged to create Observable Space. The new company is the world’s first to vertically integrate software and hardware products to help solve some of the toughest challenges in space observation. Observable Space provides the foundational elements every organization or individual needs to operate in space, which includes:
- The world’s first software-defined telescopes that are intuitive and user-friendly, and will be offered under the brand name PlaneWave.
- A modern developer platform called OurSky, which makes it easy to create advanced space applications for real-time data and analysis of space objects.
- Custom solutions to address the unmet needs of the teams doing the most advanced work in space.
- The world’s largest telescope network to help fill the critical gaps in today’s space observation capabilities while reducing the high costs and complexities of traditional space data acquisition.
Observable Space provides a spectrum of fully integrated hardware and software products that create multiple access points for easy, real-time space observational data.
L to R: Observable Space’s Richard Hedrick, Co-founder and President; Connor Poole, Vice President of Software and Electrical Engineering; Kevin Iott, Vice President of Optical and Mechanical Engineering and Dan Roelker, Co-founder and CEO.
Observable Space is a venture-backed company based in Los Angeles, with a state-of-the-art campus for manufacturing and optics research in Adrian, Michigan. The company is also announcing it has received an investment from In-Q-Tel (IQT), the not-for-profit strategic investor leveraging commercial technologies for the U.S. government. Observable Space is revenue-generating and has also raised $11 million to date, which includes investments from lead investor Upfront Ventures and participation from Venrex Investment Management, Oceans Ventures, Marlinspike Partners, and Embedded Ventures. Observable Space employs approximately 100 people that hail from companies including SpaceX, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, DARPA, Riot Games, Bird, Salesforce, DoorDash, Dell Technologies, The Walt Disney Studios and more.
Observable Space has over 1,000 customers and a total addressable market of $41.2 billion. Its customer list features the most distinguished names in space and science, such as the leading commercial space companies, universities, government entities, international space agencies. Notably, Observable Space customers include NASA, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon Technologies, U.S. Space Force, Harvard University, MIT Lincoln Laboratory, Georgia State University’s CHARA, Coca-Cola Space Science Center at Columbus State University, Seoul National University, Texas A&M and many more. Observable Space is also the leading telescope company for influential individuals and serious astronomy enthusiasts. The company supports its customers across a wide range of missions, including spacecraft operations, laser communications, space domain awareness, satellite and rocket launches, lunar missions, scientific discoveries, and defense and intelligence.
NASA utilized a specialized 0.7-meter PlaneWave telescope to enable its first-ever laser communications uplink to space. PlaneWave integrated the telescope into NASA’s Low-Cost Optical Terminal (LCOT) to achieve transmission to its TBIRD (TeraByte Infrared Delivery) spacecraft. This collaboration highlights the potential of laser technology to transfer data up to 10-100 times faster than traditional radio frequencies (RF), paving the way for faster and higher-volume data transfer in future space missions.
Observable Space is led by CEO and Co-Founder Dan Roelker, OurSky Founder and SpaceX’s former software executive who reported directly to the CEO; and President Richard Hedrick, Co-Founder and CEO of PlaneWave. By vertically integrating OurSky software with industry-leading PlaneWave telescopes, Observable Space is unlocking continuous real-time observations of space from Earth’s orbit to the edge of the expanding universe.
“Everyone knows that telescopes are the cornerstone of cosmic observation and exploration, but what people don’t realize is that they are also extremely critical for the multi-billion dollar commercial space sector,” said Roelker. “PlaneWave produces the highest quality telescopes available on the market today, and we saw a massive opportunity for our companies to come together to address a huge need for easier, more affordable space observation solutions. Our vertically integrated space observation products provide the foundational elements customers need to understand, navigate and operate in space. Supporting humanity’s journey into space is a massive market, and Observable Space is providing critical infrastructure to support all segments in that rapidly growing space industry.”
The telescopes available today are difficult to use, largely due to the outdated software systems required to use them. As a result, telescopes are limiting progress because they are sitting idle or underutilized. This contributes to the lack of a single network of telescopes that provides 100% comprehensive coverage of space. These blind-spots lead to critical information gaps that hinder the progress of space operations, science, communications, and exploration. For instance, these gaps increase the risk of collisions in space or may result in missed cosmic events. Lastly, space-based operations require a complex and expensive infrastructure. Building these foundational elements from scratch is an expensive and antiquated approach that companies are forced to deploy in order to gain access to critical space data.
“With this merger, we can better serve our current customers, while also enhancing our offerings to meet the needs of the entire space community,” said Hedrick. “Software is the biggest challenge for the telescope industry because operating systems are custom made for each application and extremely complex to run. This creates a significant barrier for all users in all segments. By merging with OurSky and seamlessly integrating hardware and software, we are creating an experience akin to the Tesla of telescopes. This means customers of any skill level can now easily connect and control these very powerful, top of the line telescopes from a smart phone or laptop. When we started PlaneWave, we created a new market by providing off-the-shelf, high-end telescopes. Now we are expanding upon that so anyone can connect and operate the most advanced telescopes in the world. This is game-changing for the entire space industry, from large corporations to private individuals.”
Observable Space’s 57-acre campus in Michigan allows the company to tap into the state’s deep manufacturing expertise and provides room to scale. The company also works closely with local colleges and universities, including Adrian College and Siena Heights University, to foster local talent. The Michigan Manufacturers Association recognized PlaneWave telescopes as the “Coolest Thing Made in Michigan,” further cementing the company’s role in advancing manufacturing and engineering in the state.
About Observable Space
Observable Space is unlocking continuous, real-time observations of space with the industry’s first line of vertically integrated hardware and software products. The company is the result of a merger between PlaneWave Instruments, the leader in advanced telescope design and manufacturing, and OurSky, a company founded by SpaceX’s former VP of software engineering to create a developer platform for space data applications.
To solve the toughest challenges in space observation, the company is creating the world’s first software-defined telescopes, which are intuitive and user-friendly, as well as a modern developer platform to easily create advanced space applications for real-time data and analysis. Additionally, the company offers custom solutions to address the unmet needs of the teams conducting the most advanced work in space.
Observable Space is also building the world’s largest telescope network to fill the critical gaps in today’s space observation capabilities while reducing the high costs and complexities of traditional space data acquisition. Serving commercial, scientific, educational, and government sectors, as well as astronomy enthusiasts, Observable Space is dedicated to making the cosmos more accessible for all who seek to discover it.
Observable Space is a venture-backed space technology company based in Los Angeles, with a state-of-the-art campus for manufacturing and optics research in Adrian, Michigan.
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Observable Space Media Contact
Kylee Keskerian
Futurista Communications
419-822-6417