Startical

Startical is a Spanish company established as a joint venture between Indra and GMV — two of Spain's leading aerospace and defense groups — with the mission of developing and operating the first global satellite constellation dedicated to space-based air traffic management (ATM) communications. The constellation is designed to provide VHF voice and data communications between aircraft and air traffic controllers worldwide, as well as ADS-B (Automatic Dependent Surveillance–Broadcast) reception across oceanic and remote airspace where conventional ground-based radar systems cannot reach.

The Startical constellation will operate in low-Earth orbit (LEO), providing continuous global coverage from pole to pole, including the vast oceanic corridors and polar routes that account for a significant share of global aviation traffic. The system leverages the VHF frequency bands historically used for aviation communications, enabling backward compatibility with existing aircraft avionics without requiring hardware modifications on board.

Startical successfully launched its first in-orbit demonstrator satellite, IOD-1, in March 2025, followed by a second demonstrator, IOD-2, in June 2025. These initial missions validate the space segment technology, ground systems, and end-to-end communications chain before full constellation deployment. The company is progressing through the IOD phase with the objective of demonstrating operational ATM communications service capabilities from orbit.

Headquartered in Madrid, Spain, Startical benefits from the deep aviation and space heritage of its parent companies — Indra is Spain's primary air traffic management and defense technology group, while GMV has significant heritage in satellite navigation, ground systems, and space mission control.