Look Up

Look Up Space is a French company specializing in space safety and sustainability by providing real-time tracking of orbital objects. The company was founded in 2022 by General Michel Friedling, the former commander of France's Space Command, and Juan Carlos Dolado, the former head of space surveillance at the French space agency, CNES. Their collective experience in military space operations and surveillance directly addresses the growing risks of collision from space debris and the increasing number of satellites in low-Earth orbit.

The firm's core offering consists of two integrated components: a global network of ground-based radars called SORASYS and a data fusion platform named SYNAPSE. The SORASYS radar system is designed to detect and track objects down to a centimeter in size, 24/7, regardless of weather conditions. The SYNAPSE platform then processes this radar data along with information from other sources to provide comprehensive Space Situational Awareness (SSA) and Space Domain Awareness (SDA). This enables the company to offer services like collision prediction, anomaly detection, and maneuver planning.

Look Up Space serves a diverse client base that includes civil, commercial, and defense satellite operators, government agencies, military entities, and insurance underwriters. Its business model focuses on providing data and advanced services, including a "Space-Operations-as-a-Service" model, to help these clients protect their space assets, ensure the reliability of their operations, and manage risk. By developing its own infrastructure, the company aims to reduce Europe's dependency on foreign space surveillance data.

The company has secured significant funding to execute its vision. A seed round in 2023 raised €14 million, and a subsequent Series A in June 2025 brought in nearly €50 million through a combination of equity, debt, and public grants. This capital is being used to expand its radar network globally—with the first radar operational in France and others planned for French Polynesia—and to accelerate international growth.

Keywords: space situational awareness, space domain awareness, orbital safety, space traffic management, LEO, space debris tracking, ground-based radar, collision avoidance, satellite operations, space surveillance, SORASYS, SYNAPSE, spacetech, space sustainability, orbital debris, satellite tracking, risk mitigation, space infrastructure protection, defense, commercial space