KC’s Enduralock secures $1.25M SpaceWERX contract to boost satellite docking tech
June 2, 2025 | Startland News Staff
A Lenexa tech company has been selected by the innovation arm of the U.S. Space Force to address one of the most-pressing challenges facing military operations in the skies and beyond.
Enduralock just announced its selection for a $1.25 million contract aimed at using the company’s new connector system, OneLink, to enable modular in-space servicing and refueling for next-gen military and commercial satellites.
“At Enduralock, we believe the future of space is modular, serviceable, and sustainable,” said Dr. Harold Hess, co-founder and CEO of Enduralock. “OneLink is our answer to that future — a robust, multi-functional connector designed to unlock in-orbit refueling, upgrades, and interoperability.”
Harold Hess, co-founder and CEO, and Diana Greenberg, co-founder and COO, Enduralock; courtesy photo
With an evolved focus on space logistics, Enduralock — which boasts more than 30 worldwide patents — develops technologies that eliminate the need for traditional safety wiring, reducing lifecycle costs while enhancing structural reliability.
The Kansas City-built business is currently advancing satellite docking systems and adapting its fasteners for vision-based intelligent systems, paving the way for fully autonomous in-orbit assembly.
“As the space industry evolves, the company remains committed to innovation, focusing on solutions that will enable the servicing, upgrading, and construction of satellites in orbit,” Enduralock said in a press release.
The new Direct-to-Phase II contract comes through a partnership between the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory and SpaceWERX (part of the U.S. Space Force and a unique division within AFWERX).
Enduralock benefits from the agencies streamlining the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) process by accelerating the experience through faster proposal to award timelines, changing the pool of potential applicants by expanding opportunities to small business and eliminating bureaucratic overhead by continually implementing process improvement changes in contract execution, Hess said.
“We’re honored to partner with SpaceWERX in pushing the boundaries of what’s possible,” he added.
The Department of the Air Force (DAF) began offering the Open Topic SBIR/STTR program in 2018, which expanded the range of innovations the DAF funded. With such changes, Enduralock has now started its journey to create and provide innovative capabilities that will strengthen the national defense of the United States of America, Hess said.
Check out a recent interview with Enduralock’s Harold Hess below.
Featured Business
2025 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
Meet 13 small businesses leading the way on DEI as Chamber’s Equity Award finalists
Some of Kansas City’s youngest companies and startups are among the most committed to achieving DEI goals in the workforce, the Chamber said this week, releasing finalists for its 2021 Small Business Equity Award. The contenders: 13 leading businesses — ranging from lifestyle brands and tech startups to a Kansas City talent agency and an addiction…
Menufy’s online ordering platform helped restaurants survive 2020; now the KC-built company is serving a scale up
The startup course has been cleared for Leawood-plated Menufy as the tech company emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic ready to serve its customers a new identity while doubling down on its decade-old mission to empower restaurateurs. “The pandemic initially complicated things, then accelerated things and kept things complicated. … We don’t really think of ourselves…
Clara Biotech hits $850K in seed funding roundup, preparing to launch first product
An emerging biotech startup in the region is reporting a busy spring with a significant seed round already raised and key steps under way to launch its product: a solution that removes manufacturing roadblocks for breakthrough drugs. “We’re in an exciting and growing space and currently have low regulatory hurdles in the research stage,” said…
Bad Rhino wants to build, not exit (so investors aren’t playing): Why the fast-paced KC studio hopes to rewrite the game
Midwest investors need to familiarize themselves with the potential waiting to play within the video game industry, said Ryan Manning, noting they otherwise risk losing out on major opportunities. “I don’t mind having those conversations and educating the parties involved,” said Manning, the founder of Bad Rhino Studios. “I think the biggest reason things need…