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
Project UK earns $100K prize to help build out tech ecosystem, connected community
A $100,000 injection will position Project United Knowledge for growth that could further fill diversity and inclusion gaps in Kansas City’s tech ecosystem. The accelerator program landed the investment as a winner of the Kapor Center’s $1 million Tech Done Right National Challenge, said Quest Moffat, head of innovation at Project UK. Beyond financial support,…
More than a makeover: ‘Queer Eye’ gives Wesley Hamilton an opportunity to thank the shooter who put him in a wheelchair
Wesley Hamilton’s clear vision for his potential impact took away the nerves while in front of cameras for Netflix’s “Queer Eye,” he said. “Me being able to get on a show with that type of exposure and spread my message to those within my community and outside of it… I’m just really excited for the…
Sickweather spent 8 years and $100K+ to obtain a patent; Is IP protection worth the cost?
Graham Dodge wanted to check a box for investors seeking security for his crowdsourced sickness forecasting startup Sickweather, he said. Obtaining a patent for the technology, however, proved a tougher task to chart. “We just wanted to protect ourselves to build value in the company,” said Dodge, CEO of Sickweather, as well as Garnish Health,…
RiskGenius announces Series B, partnerships with trio of world’s largest insurance carriers
Customers are pushing for the growth of RiskGenius, a top Kansas City startup providing software-based natural language processing tools for improved quality and accuracy in the insurance industry, said CEO Chris Cheatham. RiskGenius announced Monday an undisclosed Series B round led by Hudson Structured Capital Management Ltd., doing business as HSCM Bermuda. The financing round…