A Santa Fe startup that helps people connect to out-of-this-world technologies is the first-ever Inno Madness champion.
Solstar Space Co. beat Build With Robots in the final round of voting to take home the crown. The friendly, bracket-style contest got underway at the start of March with 16 New Mexico startups. The goal was to showcase a variety of innovative tech startups across the state (click here to read more about Inno Madness).
Solstar's innovations focus on internet connectivity.
The internet might be widespread on earth, but connections can be limited in space. That means operators of satellites and other space objects may not be able to consistently send or receive data from their airborne technology. Solstar, formed five years ago, offers solutions via devices that are meant to facilitate space-based connectivity.
“Pretty much any commercial space endeavor requires communications,” said Solstar CEO and former NASA scientist Brian Barnett.
Traditionally, operators communicate with spacecraft through ground stations. But one of Solstar's products, called the Deke Space Communicator, is meant to provide connection with satellite communications.
“Historically, the way that one communicates with their space asset … there’s 90% of an orbit [where] you’re unable to be in contact with your asset [sic.]. It has to fly over a specific ground station. But with our technology, you can be in contact with it, you know, almost any time during an orbit,” Barnett said.
The second product is a Wi-Fi “access point” that will provide connection in the vicinity, similar to what you’d see offered to passengers on a commercial airliner. So rather than "blanketing space with Wi-Fi," the device provides "a local Wi-Fi signal for both astronauts and instruments inside space stations and outside space stations," Barnett said.
"Basically, this doesn't exist yet — the Wi-Fi access points that are, you know, able to [be used] in space — are just not available yet," Barnett said. "But there's a high demand for them."
In terms of funding, Solstar has "close to $2 million on the [equity] crowdfunding side," Barnett said. The company has offices in Santa Fe and Albuquerque, with workers in Washington state, Europe, Silicon Valley, Texas, Colorado and South Carolina.
"It will be headquartered here [in New Mexico]. But we're going to have to adapt to just managing the company with talent located in different places," Barnett said.
