iMetalX Emerges from Stealth with Space Surveillance Technology

A Northern California startup has come out of hiding with a new approach to tracking and modeling objects in orbit — and it's betting that combining lidar sensing with AI-powered battle management software is the key to staying ahead of threats in space.

iMetalX emerged from stealth this week to announce a partnership with Psionic, a Virginia-based company specializing in autonomous navigation for GPS-denied environments. The pairing combines Psionic's Space Navigation Doppler Lidar with iMetalX's Asgard data and simulation platform, allowing customers to create accurate 3D models of resident space objects within minutes, according to SpaceNews.

"We've got high-fidelity, high-integrity data that provides a full RSO characterization and Psionic has the sensing capabilities," said Nehal Gajjar, iMetalX founder and CEO. "Together, we can deliver high-speed, precise navigation for autonomous operations."

The collaboration was announced via press release in February and positions the combined system for U.S. Space Force and Space Development Agency missions. "What we're building is designed to plug directly into" those architectures, said Stephen Sandford, Psionic's CEO.

iMetalX has an unusual origin story. Before pivoting to space battle management software, the company focused on 3D printing and metallurgy, winning a 2013 ARPA-E contract for titanium production and developing technologies for autonomous aircraft and underwater vehicles. The shift came after participating in the 2019 Hyperspace Challenge.

To date, iMetalX has brought in $6.2 million from military contracts, including AFWERX and SpaceWERX Small Business Innovation Research awards. The company plans to begin ground-based RSO modeling in 2026, with on-orbit testing starting in 2027 across more than seven missions.