Foundational

Foundational operates a commercial satellite laser ranging (SLR) network that tracks the positions of satellites and orbital debris to millimeter-level precision. The company's vertically integrated system combines passive laser retroreflectors mounted on client spacecraft, fully automated ground stations, and a software platform called Origin. By automating the SLR process, the company's ground stations cost roughly 30 times less than legacy government observatories and can be deployed at scale to provide day-and-night tracking using eye-safe lasers.

The company's data helps satellite operators improve orbit determination, reduce collision avoidance uncertainties, and optimize maneuvers in increasingly crowded orbits. As of late 2026, the network is operational, tracking objects from up to 2,000 kilometers away, with 16 satellites carrying its retroreflectors in orbit and approximately 60 more awaiting launch. Its customers include commercial constellation operators, the European Space Agency, the UK Space Agency, and various research institutes.

Foundational was founded in 2025 by Hira Virdee and Dave Gooding to commercialize laser-ranging technology originally developed at Lumi Space, an R&D company founded by Virdee in 2018. Headquartered in London, United Kingdom, the company emerged from stealth in October 2026 with an £8.2 million pre-seed funding round led by Inflection.