Turion Space, a startup based in Irvine, California, has been awarded a $32.6 million contract by the U.S. Space Force to launch three small satellites designed to monitor and track objects such as space debris.

The contract is part of a Strategic Financing Initiative (STRATFI) agreement from SpaceWERX, the Space Force’s technology innovation arm, which matches government funds with private investment to accelerate the development and deployment of commercial space systems.

“We’re thrilled to be working with SpaceWERX to advance our technology and demonstrate the capabilities of our small satellites,” said Ryan Westerdahl, CEO and co-founder of Turion Space. “This contract enables us to scale our technology for more complex missions and operational scenarios.”

Under the STRATFI agreement, Turion Space will develop three small satellites scheduled for launch in 2026 and 2027. The satellites will perform missions in both low Earth orbit (LEO) and geostationary orbit (GEO), carrying payloads for space surveillance and debris tracking.

Each vehicle will carry three space domain awareness payloads and a long-range imager for non-Earth imaging, Westerdahl said. “Get your Apple Vision Pro ready for live debris capture feed,” he added, referencing Apple’s mixed-reality headset.

The Space Force contract focuses on demonstrating rendezvous and proximity operations, which are key capabilities for potential debris removal missions. These operations require precise maneuvering near other objects in space.

Turion Space has previously won Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contracts from SpaceWERX and NASA to advance its technology. The company launched its first small satellite, Droid.001, in June 2023, which was designed for space situational awareness and has been integrated into the Space Force’s Unified Data Library.

“We’re proud to be working with Turion Space to advance our understanding of the space domain and to develop the capabilities needed to protect our national security interests,” said a SpaceWERX spokesperson.