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APEX

retired
Technology DemonstrationLEOCOSPAR 1994-046ALaunched 8/3/1994
Admin Edit
Mission & Launch
Launch Mission
APEX Mission
Launch Vehicle
Pegasus
Launch Date
8/3/1994
Last Contact
6/4/1996
Orbit & Mass
Orbit Class
LEO
Altitude
1,452.5 km
Inclination
69.97 deg
Dry Mass
261 kg
Total Mass
261 kg
Payload Classification
Mission Type
Technology Demonstration
Payload Category
TECH
Payload Class
D
Organizations
Operator
Space Test Program
Manufacturer
Northrop Grumman
Registry
COSPAR ID
1994-046A
UN Registration
ST/SG/SER.E/278
Track
Mentions
180
All verified mentions of this spacecraft in source documents.
0.0-5.0
Actions

Apex was founded in 2022 to build satellite bus platforms ahead of customer orders rather than on a bespoke, contract-by-contract basis.

CapabilityPlanGrowthValue 3.0Jun 17, 2026Satellite Bus Maker Raises $200M, Valuation Nearly Doubles to $2.3B
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Apex’s Factory One manufacturing campus can produce more than 200 satellites per year at peak capacity.

CapabilityGrowthValue 4.2Jun 17, 2026Satellite Bus Maker Raises $200M, Valuation Nearly Doubles to $2.3B

Apex’s satellite platforms Aries, Nova, and Comet are designed for missions in low Earth orbit and geostationary orbit.

CapabilityValue 4.0Jun 17, 2026Satellite Bus Maker Raises $200M, Valuation Nearly Doubles to $2.3B

Apex’s $200 million funding round nearly doubled its valuation to $2.3 billion.

FinancialGrowthValue 4.5Jun 17, 2026Satellite Bus Maker Raises $200M, Valuation Nearly Doubles to $2.3B

Apex will use the new capital to expand its Factory One manufacturing campus in Los Angeles by 30,000 square feet.

GrowthFinancialValue 4.0Jun 17, 2026Satellite Bus Maker Raises $200M, Valuation Nearly Doubles to $2.3B

Glade Brook Capital Partners led Apex’s $200 million funding round.

RelationshipsFinancialValue 5.0Jun 17, 2026Satellite Bus Maker Raises $200M, Valuation Nearly Doubles to $2.3B

The recently announced Mini configuration of Apex’s Comet platform has payload capacity of up to 6,614 pounds.

CapabilityValue 4.0Jun 17, 2026Satellite Bus Maker Raises $200M, Valuation Nearly Doubles to $2.3B

Michael Kopet joined Apex from Axon, where he served as Vice President of Finance.

GovernanceValue 3.0Jun 17, 2026Satellite Bus Maker Raises $200M, Valuation Nearly Doubles to $2.3B

Apex acquired Phase Four’s assets.

RelationshipsValue 4.0Jun 8, 2026Impulse Space Series D Supply Chain: Helios Sub-Tier Map 2026

Apex will support the first flight of Observable Space’s Iguana space imager later this year.

RelationshipsPlanCapabilityValue 4.0Jun 3, 2026Observable Space si aggiudica un contratto IDIQ da 94 milioni

Northrop Grumman is partnering with Apex to develop space-based interceptor satellites for the U.S. Golden Dome missile-defense shield.

RelationshipsValue 4.5Jun 2, 2026Northrop Grumman Taps Apex for Golden Dome SBI Collab

Apex’s Nova satellite-bus platform will be fitted with an orbital magazine carrying two scaled-down demo interceptors for Project Shadow.

CapabilityValue 4.0Jun 2, 2026Northrop Grumman Taps Apex for Golden Dome SBI Collab

Apex is moving ahead with Project Shadow in parallel with its work with Northrop Grumman.

PlanRelationshipsValue 2.0Jun 2, 2026Northrop Grumman Taps Apex for Golden Dome SBI Collab

Apex CEO Ian Cinnamon said the Northrop Grumman partnership will enable operational, constellation-scale space-based missile defense.

RelationshipsCapabilityValue 4.0Jun 2, 2026Northrop Grumman Taps Apex for Golden Dome SBI Collab

Apex announced a $15 million self-funded demonstration mission called Project Shadow in October.

PlanFinancialGeneralValue 4.0Jun 2, 2026Northrop Grumman Taps Apex for Golden Dome SBI Collab

Northrop Grumman has demonstrated key capabilities through ground tests this year and is on track to deliver on-orbit missile-defense capabilities with Apex in 2027.

PlanCapabilityValue 4.0Jun 2, 2026Northrop Grumman Taps Apex for Golden Dome SBI Collab

Apex was founded to support proliferated constellations like Golden Dome.

CapabilityGrowthValue 2.0Jun 2, 2026Northrop Grumman Taps Apex for Golden Dome SBI Collab

The Northrop Grumman-Apex partnership supports the Golden Dome missile defense architecture.

RelationshipsGeneralValue 4.0Jun 1, 2026Northrop Grumman Partners with Apex for Space-Based Interceptors Targeting 2027 Delivery

Apex plans to use standardized satellite buses designed for mass commercial production to support proliferated constellations.

CapabilityPlanValue 3.5Jun 1, 2026Northrop Grumman Partners with Apex for Space-Based Interceptors Targeting 2027 Delivery

Northrop Grumman has partnered with Los Angeles-based satellite manufacturer Apex to develop and demonstrate space-based interceptor capabilities for the United States Space Force.

RelationshipsCapabilityValue 4.3Jun 1, 2026Northrop Grumman Partners with Apex for Space-Based Interceptors Targeting 2027 Delivery