ATLAS Utqiagvik, Alaska antenna. (Photo: Atlas/Business Wire)

Ground software as a service company Atlas Space Operations closed a $26 million Series B funding round, led by Mitsui & Co., Ltd. Atlas announced the round on Thursday. 

Other investors in the round include Beringea, and foundational investors: Boomerang Catapult, Rise of the Rest, VCapital, Northern Michigan Angels, Harmonix, Wakestream, and Grand Ventures. 

Atlas, based in Traverse City, Michigan, offers the Freedom ground network software management system and has a global network of 30 operational and planned antennas. The company said this funding will support expanding its business model and international growth. 

Mitsui, which owns rideshare provider Spaceflight, Inc. and has a minority share in BlackSky Global, said this investment expands its space business as a service provider for satellite operators. Kazutomi Shigeeda, general manager of the Space Business Department, plans for Atlas to be able to integrate satellite data relay networks into its network in the future. 

“A strategic partnership with Mitsui validates Atlas’ position as a global leader in satellite communications services. This investment well capitalizes the company to accelerate growth in key areas of commercial and U.S. government markets for which our services are in high demand. With this new partnership, Atlas can expand its team to provide enterprise-level ground software as a service solutions for the DoD Hybrid Space Architecture while increasing our market share in the private sector,” commented Atlas Co-Founder and CEO Sean McDaniel. 

Atlas recently received a multi-year, multi-million dollar contract from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for ground station as a service.