Loft Orbital is a space infrastructure-as-a-service provider that simplifies access to space for organizations. They build and operate satellites, flying customer payloads and handling missions end-to-end. Loft Orbital's key offerings include standardized satellite platforms, payload integration services, and mission control software, serving customers like NASA, Microsoft, and the US Space Force. Associated keywords include: space infrastructure, hosted payloads, satellite missions, and space-as-a-service.
All verified mentions of this organization in source documents.
Zak Kirstein served as head of strategy for Loft Federal, the government business of Loft Orbital.
The wildfire detection demonstration will run on Loft Orbital’s AI-enabled satellite infrastructure and aims to provide a blueprint for potential integration across Loft’s satellite constellation.
Following successful validation on Loft’s current assets, Loft and SmartSat CRC intend to explore a broader rollout across Loft’s expanding constellation of AI-enabled satellites.
The Loft–SmartSat CRC demonstration aims to validate sovereign Earth observation capabilities for the Australian government and wildfire-fighting agencies.
By leveraging Loft’s on-orbit AI infrastructure, SmartSat CRC can bypass the multi-year hardware development cycle typically required for new Earth observation missions.
Loft Orbital’s on-orbit AI-enabled satellites will host a software-defined wildfire detection application developed with SmartSat CRC.
Loft Orbital is partnering with SmartSat Cooperative Research Center to demonstrate an AI-powered wildfire detection software on Loft Orbital satellites.
The Loft–SmartSat CRC initiative builds on the Kanyini mission, Australia’s first sovereign state-led satellite, which launched in late 2024 and features SmartSat CRC technology.
Loft Orbital’s virtual mission capability allows third-party developers to deploy software applications onto space infrastructure that is already in orbit.
On February 18, 2026, Loft Orbital signed a strategic contract with the SmartSat Cooperative Research Centre to deploy a software-defined wildfire detection application onto Loft’s existing on-orbit AI-enabled satellites.
SmartSat CRC is leveraging Loft Orbital’s AI-enabled satellites to test its wildfire detection model.
Chris Daywalt of Loft Orbital projected a kinetic intercept from space in 2032.
Muon Space added senior leadership hires from the US Space Development Agency, Raytheon, and Loft Orbital.
Tekever is a member of the DESIR consortium alongside Loft Orbital and Thales Alenia Space.
France commissioned Loft Orbital on January 21, 2026 to develop the nation’s first sovereign synthetic aperture radar satellite.
Loft Orbital will lead the consortium, responsible for the satellite and ground control segment.
Loft Orbital and Tekever France have joined Thales Alenia Space in an innovative consortium for the Desir program, supported by the involvement of French SMEs.
CNES awarded a contract to a consortium led by Loft Orbital to develop the DESIR (Démonstrateur des Éléments Souverains en Imagerie Radar) synthetic aperture radar imagery demonstrator.
Loft Orbital expects the DESIR operational phase to last at least two years.
Loft Orbital is the consortium lead and is responsible for the satellite bus and the ground control segment for the DESIR mission.