Lego Pieces in Space: CesiumAstro

Austin based space tech startup CesiumAstro originally set out to build rockets, but quickly realized the bigger opportunity was in the components that go on satellites.

Now they're working to commoditize active phased-array antennas, technology that directs radio waves in a precise direction, across frequencies from sub-gigahertz up to 60-70 GHz.

Founder and CEO Shey Sabripout likes to say you no longer need RF and antenna PHDs to stand up a phased array. Instead, you get a plug-and-play system:

• an ethernet cable
• a power cable
• an easy-to-use graphical user interface

The arrays can be installed on satellites, aircraft, drones, or even ground stations, and ship with all the software, algorithms, and wave forms customers need.

Even ordering is being productized: you go to their site, describe your use case, and the system configures a phased-array solution for you.

Shey chose Austin for affordability, lifestyle, and abundant young talent in UT Austin and Texas A&M. Teams like CesiumAstro are affirmation that Austin's startup ecosystem is primed to birth brand new billion dollar unicorns.