Phantom Space acquires Utah thermal tech firm to speed orbital data center
Phantom Space Co. has made another key acquisition that the Tucson-based company says will speed up development of an orbital data center system it is building.
With the acquisition of Utah-based satellite thermal component pioneer Thermal Management Technologies LLC (TMT), Phantom Space said it will use the new systems in its Block I Phantom Cloud spacecraft and other satellites.
The Phantom Cloud is envisioned as a platform to connect satellite operators, third-party data sources, developers and end users so that customers can collect, process and monetize data in orbit, Phantom Space said. A Space App Store will be part of the system for data processing and commercialization.
“Just as cloud computing transformed the internet economy, Phantom Cloud will unlock a new generation of data-driven applications in space,” said Jim Cantrell, co-founder and CEO of Phantom Space, in a statement. “TMT’s technology is a critical piece of the puzzle for our constellation. They have deep expertise in satellite thermal components, and we see immense potential in their technology to improve the performance and reliability of our orbital infrastructure.”
TMT was founded in 2008. It will continue operating as a subsidiary of Phantom Space and serving its existing customers as it more closely works on the Block I Phantom Cloud. TMT founder Scott Schick will be general manager of the subsidiary.
“Given my history with Jim and our shared vision for the future, this partnership was a natural step forward,” Schick said in a statement. “By joining Phantom we are bringing together complementary strengths that will expand one another’s technical capabilities, enhance long-term stability, and accelerate the development of new hardware.”
Latest Phantom Space move comes after AZ acquisition
The deal comes just weeks after Phantom Space announced that it had acquired assets and intellectual property from Vector Launch Inc., a former Tucson-based startup that filed for bankruptcy in 2019.
That acquisition adds design elements, engineering data and proprietary technologies that Phantom Space will integrated into its Daytona vehicle architecture. The Daytona vehicle is a two-stage rocket designed to deliver dedicated launch services for small satellites and spacecraft into orbit.
Founded in 2019 by two of the original five members who built SpaceX, Phantom Space aims to expand access to space by combining launch and satellite capabilities under a vertically integrated platform.
Cantrell was previously the first vice president of business development at SpaceX. He also worked at the French Space Agency, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and cofounded Vector Launch Inc.