Optimax launches new space business called Starris

WAYNE COUNTY, N.Y. — A precision optics company in the town of Ontario says it can boost customer ideas into orbit in less than one year using its space-rated modular equipment. Starris: Optimax Space System is a space race venture to help other companies.

Starris is a new company from the well-established Optimax in Ontario, N.Y., that says it’s using its 30 years of space innovation and precision optics to accelerate optical payloads for other businesses that want to get into space. 

“It is similar to any time you watch on how things are made and you say, ‘Wow, I had no idea,’ ” said Kevin Kearney, the company’s director and CTO. “What’s happening now is the rise of so-called commercial space or a space economy.” 

Optimax has been there and back via the NASA Mars Rover and other commercial space ventures on thousands of satellites orbiting the earth. Now its spin-off company, Starris has plans for even more with its space-rated gear on satellites that are going up to look back at the earth for companies who want to do things like earth observing for weather, supply chains, navigation and even mining of the moon and defense surveillance.

“All of these business models and space systems require some kind of imaging or laser optic component and that is the market Starris is intending to serve, venture finance start-ups that really want to sell information.”

Starris says the global space economy is poised to nearly triple by next year, reaching a staggering $1.8 trillion. Starris is launching its space-qualified optical payload service this week at the Small Satellite Convention in Utah.