Space technology firm ARKA completes Danbury expansion

US Reps Jim Himes and Jahana Hayes along with Danbury Mayor Roberto Alves pose with an ARKA smallsat telescope during a January visit to the facility.

The Danbury-based ARKA Group announced the completion of a 14,000 square foot expansion on April 9, bringing its total footprint in the city to 550,000 square feet, dedicated to the development and production of high-tech devices in support of the space and defense industries.

The $85 million investment adds additional cleanroom space for manufacturing, calibrating, and installing electro-optical and infrared telescopes and other payloads for “smallsats,” satellites that are less than a meter across. The upgrades also include many of the latest manufacturing techniques such as world-class thin-film application and will allow for multi-shift work to meet high volume orders.

“This expansion supports our increased production of sub-meter telescopes and payloads, keeping the eyes in the sky that our nation and allies depend upon for security, particularly as proliferated low earth orbit constellations grow,” said Charlie Schaub, senior vice president of ARKA’s Space & Defense business. “The enhancements further strengthen and balance our capabilities in both smallsat payloads and large optics for ground- and space-based scientific and national security missions.”