French in-space transportation company Exotrail is launching two U.S.-based subsidiaries, one focused specifically on serving U.S. government and defense customers, the company said Monday.
Tyler Browder, co-founder and former head of satellite software developer Kubos, was installed to lead the new Exotrail U.S., Inc. He joined Exotrail as a senior officer in February, just after the company announced it had closed a $58 million Series B. At the time, Exotrail expressed its intent to expand its footprint in the United States.
Exotrail also hired Brian Holt as the director of U.S. government business development and partnerships. Holt had previous worked for the Department of Defense’s Space Security and Defense Program and at SpaceWERX, a technology-focused organization within the U.S. Space Force. By establishing a subsidiary that solely sells to the U.S. government, separate even from the other American subsidiary, Exotrail is better positioning itself to meet the particular demands and national security requirements of defense contracts.
In a statement, the French startup said its new American subsidiary “will commit significant resources” to building out engineering and manufacturing capabilities in the States. Exotrail U.S. is currently searching for a location for a satellite factory and a separate integration facility.
“We already have more than five customers in North America, with commercial partners ranging from traditional prime to new space operators like Astro Digital, Starfish Space, and NASA on the civil space side,” Browder said in a statement. “Accelerating our growth in both institutional and commercial markets is instrumental to Exotrail’s future.”
Exotrail is one of a handful of companies looking to provide in-space transportation services to satellite operators, though it has taken a more vertically-integrated approach than some of its competitors. Its product offerings include mission analysis software, propulsion systems, and in-space mobility services. The company has more than twenty customers across North America, Europe and Asia.
Originally published at techcrunch.com