Proteus Space announced on September 8, 2026 that it has been selected by The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory to develop an advanced on-orbit mission under a multi-year agreement.

Proteus Space, a Los Angeles‑based dual‑use aerospace company, provides rapid, end‑to‑end access to space through custom spacecraft design, assembly, integration and test, launch brokerage, and on‑orbit operations. The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, a non‑profit research and development organization with more than 2,600 employees across 12 sites, focuses on strategic systems, space systems, electronic systems and biotechnology systems.

Under the agreement, Proteus will deliver rapid spacecraft design, AI&T, licensing, launch integration and on‑orbit commissioning and operations. The company uses its AI‑driven digital engineering platform to generate mission‑tailored spacecraft designs and digital twins, conducting AI&T in its Los Angeles facility and managing launch and mission operations from its own mission operations centers. David Kervin, founder and CEO of Proteus Space, said the selection reflects the company’s ability to meet unique payload requirements and to operate on compressed timelines without compromising engineering standards. Aaron Blow, Vice President and General Manager of Space Systems at Draper, said Draper chose Proteus because its approach addresses mission needs that cannot be met with standard bus designs and aligns with the accelerated pace of modern space missions.

The contract details, including duration and financial terms, have not been disclosed. The mission timeline is pending further design work.