DeepSat, a Southern California-based startup co-founded by Armenians Nerses Ohanyan, David Baghdasaryan, and Hayk Martirosyan, has received a $1.25 million contract from the U.S. Air Force to develop monitoring capabilities for extremely low-Earth orbit (VLEO).
CEO Nerses Ohanyan told SpaceNews that DeepSat’s goal is to use the most commercially available cameras to provide high-quality images from VLEO and make it scalable.
DeepSat plans to create an Orion’s Belt constellation of about 20 satellites that will provide observations every 15-30 minutes over the Indo-Pacific region. According to Ohanyan, this frequency will allow the company’s customers to detect and track naval vessels.
The satellites will collect visible and short-wave infrared images and, through special signaling systems, provide data about ships and aircraft.
Before Orion’s Belt launches, the company plans to conduct an initial test in 2027 via a SpaceX Transporter co-launch.
Ohanyan, an aerospace engineer with many years of experience in the technology industry, founded DeepSat in 2024 with BigStory VC founding partner David Baghdasaryan and Bazumq Space Research Laboratory co-founder Hayk Martirosyan.
With this project, the startup, created with the participation of Armenian specialists, strengthens its position in the international space technology market.
