WASHINGTON — Space and defense technology startup True Anomaly, based in Colorado, is expanding its operations to Southern California, opening a 90,000-square-foot factory in Long Beach, the company announced Feb. 19.
The move places True Anomaly in closer proximity to the Space Systems Command in Los Angeles, which oversees billions in Space Force procurement, and taps into Southern California’s deep aerospace talent pool.
The majority of the Long Beach factory will be dedicated to the design, development and manufacturing of new products for the military market, including some being developed for classified U.S. Space Force programs, True Anomaly’s CEO Even Rogers said in an interview.
The company’s headquarters and existing manufacturing facility will remain in Centennial, Colorado, where True Anomaly makes its flagship product, the Jackal satellite, designed to perform in-orbit activities such as rendezvous and proximity operations, and imaging of objects in orbit. The company also developed an operating system software for space domain awareness called Mosaic.
“Southern California has the right mix of startup experience plus deep aerospace experience,” said Rogers. The region has historically been a nexus for aerospace innovation, home to facilities operated by Boeing, Northrop Grumman, and more recently, a growing cluster of space technology startups.
Founded in 2022, True Anomaly has positioned itself exclusively in the defense market, eschewing commercial applications in favor of developing specialized capabilities for military space operations.
The venture-backed company’s expansion comes as it prepares for its first mission under contract to the Space Force, called Victus Haze. The mission aims to demonstrate rapid-launch capabilities for emergency scenarios. Scheduled to launch sometime this year, Victus Haze will involve coordinated operations between a Jackal satellite launched by Firefly Aerospace and a Rocket Lab spacecraft also launched by Rocket Lab.
Rogers said True Anomaly decided to plant roots in Long Beach to be close to its key customer. The startup plans to challenge traditional defense contractors by offering satellites, software and services for a fixed price. At the Space Systems Command, he said, “what we have seen is a growing awareness and understanding of the power of partnering with a venture-backed private company,” he said, as private investment helps reduce development risks for the government.
“I think we’re starting to see program managers and leadership at the Space Systems Command understand the calculus of financial leverage that comes with working with a venture-backed startup,” Rogers said. “They just get the end product.”
The company’s path hasn’t been without challenges. Its inaugural Jackal mission in March 2024 encountered difficulties when ground controllers lost communication with both satellites shortly after deployment. A second mission launched in December 2024 has shown more promise, with Rogers reporting that the company is “meeting a variety of our objectives.”
