ATMOSPHERIC & SPACE TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH ASSOCIATES LLC

Louisville, CO · Aerospace · Acquired by Arcfield (2023)

Dragster: a space weather ensemble assimilative software model for real-time nowcasting and 2–3 day forecasting of atmospheric drag, neutral density, and orbital uncertainties for satellites in low Ea

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Updated Oct 23, 2026 · orionspace.com

Sector: Aerospace
Headquarters: Louisville, CO
Total capital: $37.8M

Federal grants: $7.3M; 14 awards · 2014–2023; Rank in peer group#20 of 55
Private capital raised: None on recordNo Form D filings on SEC EDGAR. Some raises are not filed.
Federal contracts: $30.5M; 67 awards · Defense, NASA, Interior; Rank in Aerospace#116 of 1335
Granted patents: 4; 4 pending · first 2021; Rank in peer group#9 of 55

Capital timeline

Latest events

Oct 2024Federal contractCommerce · Orion Space Solutions, Km And Nlp: Advanced Access Methods For EO Digital Twins For EO Digital Twins. The National Oceanic And Atmospheric Administration (noaa) Has Identified A Need To Improve And Expand The Open Discovery, Access, Use, Reproduci$2M
Sep 2024Federal contractDefense · The Contractor Is Proposing An Ionosphere Mission Operations Center To Monitor And Forecast Space Environment Phenomena, As Well As Detect Human-influenced Ionospheric Disturbances, Such As Hypersonic Vehicles, Space Launches.$1.4M
Feb 2024Federal contractDefense · 123GM1215A-XT-1 Choke Ring Antenna$10K
Dec 2023Federal contractDefense · Scanning Uv Mirror (suvm) Assemblies And Rfbr Assessment Services$651K
Aug 2023Federal contractNASA · SBIR Phase I - Reflectec$156K
Jul 2023Federal grantNASA · Phase I · Low-latitude Scintillation Nowcasting and Forecasting$156K
Jul 2023Federal grantNASA · Phase I · Small TEnuous Plasma Heliophysics Electric field Instrument (STEPHEI)$156K

Show 74 earlier federal awards

May 2023Federal grantNASA · Phase II · Dragster: An Ensemble Assimilative Model for Satellite Drag$900K
May 2023Federal grantNASA · Phase II · Compact All Sky Interferometric Doppler Imager (CASIDI)$900K
May 2023Federal contractDefense · Estcp Project Number: MR22-7964$323K
Oct 2022Federal contractCommerce · One-stop Digital Space For Earth Observation Processing And Analysis Study$1.5M
Jul 2022Federal contractNASA · E014042 SBIR Phase I Compact All Sky Interferometric Doppler Imager (casidi)$157K
Jul 2022Federal contractNASA · E014042 SBIR Phase I Dragster: An Ensemble Assimilative Model For Satellite Drag$156K
Jul 2022Federal contractDefense · Advanced Battle Management System$2K
Jun 2022Federal grantNASA · Phase II · Multichannel Thermosphere Ionosphere Photometer Scanner (MTIPS)$800K
Jan 2022Federal grantDefense · Phase II · Hypersonic Glider Detection Satellite (HGDSaT)$750K
Jul 2021Federal contractNASA · Ocean Stabilized Ionospheric Remote Imaging Sensor (osiris)$750K
Jun 2021Federal contractDefense · SBIR Phase II Firm Fixed Price Contract.$1.5M
May 2021Federal contractNASA · Multichannel Thermosphere Ionosphere Photometer Scanner (mtips)$125K
Apr 2021Federal contractDefense · Maritime Magnetometer Array$50K
Feb 2021Federal contractDefense · Research And Development Regarding The Detection Of Hypersonic Glide Vehicles.$50K
Sep 2020Federal contractDefense · Connected Autonomous Space Environment (cases) Dual-frequency GPS Receiver/space$37K
Aug 2020Federal contractNASA · Ocean Stabilized Ionospheric Remote Imaging Sensor (osiris)$125K
Apr 2020Federal contractDefense · Sun-tracking Millimeter Wave Radiometer$742K
Apr 2020Federal contractCommerce · Geo-utilization Of Common Leo Architecture For Weather (g-claw) Study$600K
Dec 2019Federal contractDefense · SBIR Phase II Contract Activity: Cloud Characterization With The Compact And Configurable Imaging System.$748K
Dec 2019Federal grantDefense · Phase II · Cloud characterization with the Compact and Configurable Imaging system (CaCtI)$749K
Sep 2019Federal contractDefense · Commercial Global Navigation Satellite System - Radio Occultation Data Pilot: Planetiq Data$3.6M
Sep 2019Federal contractDefense · Suvm-scan Mirrors$523K
Sep 2019Federal contractDefense · Research And Development$1.1M
Aug 2019Federal grantNASA · Phase I · COgnitive Radio Frequency Ultilization by Constellations of Spacecrafts (CORUS)$125K
Jun 2019Federal contractDefense · Cubesat Sensor Pkg For Cold Weather - The Development Of Small Satellite Technologies, Such As Cubesats Provides A Spacecraft Option That Is Less Expensive And Requires Less Time To From Build To Launch Than Traditional Approaches.$75K
Apr 2019Federal grantDefense · Phase I · The Global Equatorial Scintillation MOdel (GESMO)$150K
Dec 2018Federal contractDefense · Progress Report$125K
Jul 2018Federal contractCommerce · This Award Is For The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I For FY2018'S Program Announcement For The Technology Partnerships Office Under The Office Of Atmospheric Research In Silver Spring, Md. This Award Is For Proposal 18-1-057 Entitled "aloft: GPS Ro From Balloons ('aloft')."$120K
Jul 2018Federal contractCommerce · This Award Is For The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I For FY2018'S Program Announcement For The Technology Partnerships Office Under The Office Of Atmospheric Research In Silver Spring, Md. This Award Is For Proposal 18-1-084 Entitled "next Generation National Water Level Observation System."$120K
Jun 2018Federal contractDefense · Cross-calibration Of Tools, Application And Processing Lab Sensors$249K
May 2018Federal contractCommerce · This Award Is For The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II For FY2017'S Program Announcement For The Technology Partnerships Office Under The Office Of Atmospheric Research In Silver Spring, Md. This Award Is For Proposal 17-2-102 Entitled "position Error Maps For Gps/gnss."$400K
Apr 2018Federal contractDefense · Sun Tracking Millimeter Wave Radiometer$150K
Mar 2018Federal contractDefense · Igf::ot::igf MR18-1459$200K
Sep 2017Federal contractDefense · Igf::ot::igf Satellite Drag Specification$967K
Jun 2017Federal contractDefense · Base Period Tasking Igf::ot::igf$150K
Jun 2017Federal contractCommerce · Igf::ot::igf "other Functions" - This Award Is For The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I For FY2017'S Program Announcement For The Technology Partnerships Office Under The Office Of Atmospheric Research In Silver Spring, Md. This Award Is For Proposal 17-1-102 Entitled "position Error Maps For Gps/gnss."$120K
Mar 2017Federal contractDefense · Igf::ot::igf Sbir/sttr Phase I Research&development$100K
Dec 2016Federal grantDefense · Phase I · Telemetry Buoy - TM Collection System$100K
Dec 2016Federal contractDefense · Igf::ot::igf Lcc 2D0D9E - LIDAR Shallow Water Flume Test U438180$15K
Sep 2016Federal grantDefense · Phase II · Investigating the Use of OPIR Data in Support of Cloud Retrieval Applications$750K
Aug 2016Federal contractDefense · Igf::ot::igf Investigating The Use Of Opir Data In Support Of Cloud Retrieval Applications$750K
Jun 2016Federal contractDefense · Igf::ot::igf Seaport Enhanced$3K
Jun 2016Federal grantNASA · Phase I · High Power CubeSat Control Sub-system (HPoCCS)$125K
Jun 2016Federal contractInterior · Igf::ot::igf Long Link Range Maritime Communications$100K
Jun 2016Federal grantDefense · Phase I · Long Link Range Maritime Communications$150K
Jul 2015Federal contractDefense · Igf::ot::igf Cloud Retrieval Applications$150K
Jun 2015Federal contractDefense · Igf::ot::igf - SBIR I - Modeling Impacts Of Coherent And Random Tid Structures On Othr Performance$150K
Dec 2014Federal grantDefense · Phase II · GPS Autonomous Micro-Monitor (GAMMA)$1.5M
Jun 2014Federal contractNASA · Igf::ot::igf The IDA4D And Amie Data Assimilation Methods Are Currently Of Limited Use For Real-time Space Weather Applications Because Either They Don't Run In Real-time (IDA4D) Or The Real-time Version (amie) Does Not Ingest The Full Complement Of Data Needed To Provide High Fidelity Outputs. To Correct This Situation, In Phase-i, We Propose To Demonstrate The Feasibility Of Augmenting These Algorithms So That They Run In Real-time, With The Full Complement Of Available Data For Ingestion. In $125K
Feb 2014Federal contractDefense · Igf::ot::igf STTR Phase II: Satellite Drag Physical Model Module$1.5M
Sep 2013Federal contractDefense · "modular Cubesat Architectures And Components"$750K
Sep 2013Federal contractDefense · Igf::ot::igf SBIR Phase II: Astra$825K
Sep 2013Federal contractDefense · Igf::ot::igf SBIR Phase I Astra$150K
Sep 2013Federal contractDefense · Igf::ot::igf SBIR Phase I Astra$150K
Aug 2013Federal contractDefense · Igf::ct::igf SBIR I: GPS Awareness Enabling Algorithms For Theater And Space Environment$150K
Aug 2013Federal contractNASA · Igf::ot::igf Nra Award - Sudden Stratospheric Warming (ssw) Events In The Lower Atmosphere Polar Regions Represent A Unique Type Of Meteorological Phenomena That Exhibits Significant Dynamical Coupling Of The Troposphere-stratosphere-mesosphere-ionosphere System. Ssw Events Are Caused By Rapid Changes In The Mean Stratospheric Zonal Flow Accompanied By An Enhancement In Planetary Wave Activity, Which As A Result Can Produce Large Perturbations In The Electrodynamics And Electron Density At Ionos$293K
May 2013Federal contractNASA · Igf::ot::igf Research Entitled: Rocket Experiment For Neutral Upwelling 2 (RENU2). The Report Shall Be A Comprehensive Summary Of Significant Accomplishments During The Duration Of The Contract, And Shall Summarize The Significant Accomplishments Of The Year And Can Be Up To 3 Pages In Length. For The Renu-ii, Project, Astra Will Provide Model Simulations Of The Atmospheric Response To Forcing During The Renu-ii Rocket Launch. The Model Simulations Will Incorporate Relevant Data Measured $60K
Jan 2013Federal contractDefense · Igf::ot::igf SBIR II$750K
Jan 2013Federal contractDefense · Igf::ot::igf - GPS Autonomous Micro-monitor$1.6M
Jul 2012Federal contractDefense · Small Satellite-based System For Active And Passive Sounding Of The Ionosphere Dc-hf$150K
Jul 2012Federal contractDefense · STTR Phase I$100K
Jul 2012Federal contractDefense · SBIR Phase I$150K
Jan 2012Federal contractNASA · Phase A Concept Study Report For The Atmosphere Space Transition Region Explorer (astre)$20K
Nov 2011Federal contractDefense · SBIR Phase I "gamma"$150K
Nov 2011Federal contractDefense · E-field Instrument For Cubesats$150K
Sep 2010Federal contractNASA · Sdo Android Application$30K
Sep 2010Federal contractNASA · We Propose A Four-year Program To Perform A Comprehensive Investigation Of Plasma-neutral Gas Coupling In The Thermosphere-ionosphere System. In This Proposal, We Explore Several Science Topics That Are Intimately Connected With Ion-neutral Coupling Between The Ionosphere And Thermosphere. While These Phenomena Have All Been Observed, They Are Unexplained. We Use A New Coupled Model To Explore In Detail The Physics Behind The Phenomena. The Work Will Involve The Development Of Model Postprocesso$400K
Mar 2010Federal contractDefense · Modular Cubesat Architectures & Components$100K
Sep 2009Federal contractDefense · RADAR Measurements Of Equatorial Vertical Drifts In The Brazilian Sector In Support Of C/nofs$293K
Aug 2009Federal contractDefense · Research&development - Basic Research - Ionospheric Data Assimilation For Navy Space Weather Cubesats$97K
Nov 2008Federal contractDefense · (STTR Phase II) Connected Autonomous Space Enviornment Sensors$750K
Sep 2008Federal contractNASA · Nra- Under This Contract The Vendor Will Focus On The Neutral Hydrogen In The Thermosphere And Exosphere. The Effort Involves Hydrogen Distribution In The Thermosphere And Exosphere. There Are Many Significant Unanswered Questions Regarding The Total H Budget In This Region, Especially The One In The Geocornoa. Understanding The Processes That Control The Vertical H Distribution Is Important For Our Ability To Characterize The Loss Mechanism Of H2O From The Lower Atmospheres Of The Terrestria$326K
Jun 2008Federal contractDefense · New SBIR Phase II Contract$750K
Feb 2008Federal contractDefense · 76-0018-08$341K

Federal awards are summed by year (81 awards); hover a bar for the split. Form D reports securities sold, which can differ from an announced round; filings are numbered in the order they were made.

Standing among 55 peers

Line = median

Aerospace · Satellite · Software

Federal grants#20 · top 36%
Granted patents#9 · top 16%
Linked publications#5 · top 9%

Cumulative measures favor older companies. Rankings describe position today, not outcome. Below the median, ranks show as a band rather than a number.

Founders and team

No founders are linked to this company yet.

Founders appear once a person is matched to the company through its own patents, grants or filings. We never infer people from social profiles.

Checked: USPTO inventors; federal award principal investigators; SEC Form D related persons · Oct 23, 2026

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What it has protected

USPTO · 4 granted of 8

Jun 26, 2025PendingSystem And Method For Determining Characteristics Of Traveling Ionospheric DisturbancesUSPTOApplication 19080647
Apr 15, 2025GrantedSystem And Method For Determining Characteristics Of Traveling Ionospheric DisturbancesUSPTOUS 12,276,771
Jan 30, 2025PendingReal-time Autonomous Weather And Space Weather MonitoringUSPTOApplication 18912383

Show all 8 patent records

System And Method For Determining Characteristics Of Traveling Ionospheric DisturbancesJun 26, 2025 · Application 19080647Pending
System And Method For Determining Characteristics Of Traveling Ionospheric DisturbancesApr 15, 2025 · US 12,276,771Granted
Real-time Autonomous Weather And Space Weather MonitoringJan 30, 2025 · Application 18912383Pending
Real-time Autonomous Weather And Space Weather MonitoringOct 22, 2024 · US 12,123,947Granted
System And Method For Determining Characteristics Of Traveling Ionospheric DisturbancesJan 11, 2022 · US 11,221,433Granted
Real-time Autonomous Weather And Space Weather MonitoringMar 9, 2021 · US 10,942,270Granted
Real-time Autonomous Weather And Space Weather MonitoringApplication PCTUS2014049472Pending
System And Method For Determining Characteristics Of Traveling Ionospheric DisturbancesApplication PCTUS2013072700Pending

Recent research by its founders

Ionosphere-thermosphere coupling via global-scale waves: new insights from two-years of concurrent in situ and remotely-sensed satellite observations202313 cites
Ionosphere-Thermosphere Coupling via Global-Scale Waves: New Insights from Two-Years of Concurrent In-Situ and Remotely-Sensed Satellite Observations20230 cites
Vertical Wave Coupling in the Low-Latitude Ionosphere-Thermosphere as Revealed by Concurrent ICON and COSMIC-2 Observations202217 cites

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Regulatory activity · Aerospace

Sector-level, not company-level

06 Jul 2026Nondiscrimination in Federally Assisted Programs of NASA-Effectuation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964National Aeronautics and Space Administration
01 Jul 2026Special Conditions: AMAC Aerospace, The Boeing Company Model 747- 8 Airplane; Side-Facing SeatsFederal Aviation Administration
26 Jun 2026Standard Instrument Approach Procedures, and Takeoff Minimums and Obstacle Departure Procedures; Miscellaneous AmendmentsFederal Aviation Administration
23 Jun 2026Operating Limitations at John F. Kennedy International AirportFederal Aviation Administration
23 Jun 2026Operating Limitations at New York LaGuardia AirportFederal Aviation Administration
18 Jun 2026Special Conditions: Honeywell Aerospace US LLC, Dassault Aviation Model Falcon 900EX Airplane; Electronic System Security Protection From Unauthorized External AccessFederal Aviation Administration

Rules are matched to sector, not to company. Recent activity in a sector is context rather than a signal about this business — until rules are matched to what a company actually builds, the section is shown as context and nothing more.

Sources

Federal grants from SBIR/STTR, NIH, NSF and DoD records. Federal contracts from USAspending.gov. Private capital from SEC Form D. Patents from USPTO. Publications from OpenAlex. Regulatory activity from the Federal Register. Press matched on company name.

How to read this page

Figures show associations in public records, not causes or predictions. Nothing here is investment advice. An em-dash means no record was found under this company's name, not that none exists.

Data freshness

SEC Form D filings through Oct 23, 2026. SBIR and STTR awards through Oct 21, 2026.