The mission will equip one of Apex’s Nova satellites with a software-defined radio capable of transmitting and receiving military-grade Link-182 messages, as well as systems to provide power, heat and environmental support for the interceptors. Apex CEO Ian Cinnamon told Air & Space Forces Magazine the focus is “less about the interceptors—which will not be live—and more about proving the enabling technology works.”
Cinnamon described Project Shadow as a major step towards maturing the capabilities the U.S. military sees as critical for space-based missile defence. “We want to mature the tech to make sure this thing actually works,” he said. “Then, of course, as large primes and system integrators who know how to build these interceptors bid on it, we go to them and say, ‘Listen, we’re really good at the Orbital Magazine. We’ve already proven it in orbit. Let’s collaborate.’”
Apex has invested $15 million into Project Shadow and is partnering with undisclosed industry collaborators to accelerate development. The company estimates that the unit cost for each Orbital Magazine will range from $6 million to nearly $10 million, depending on configuration and volume, with the higher-powered Comet satellite platform capable of carrying up to six interceptors.
While Apex is relatively new to the defence sector, it gained visibility last year through a satellite bus partnership with Anduril and recently opened a new factory capable of producing up to 200 satellites annually. Project Shadow will also serve as the inaugural flight of the Nova satellite platform, with additional customer orders scheduled to follow.
The firm is positioning itself for a role in the Golden Dome programme, a vast missile defence initiative reportedly valued at $175 billion over the next three years under the Trump administration. As government and Pentagon officials continue to develop the classified architecture, multiple aerospace companies are moving quickly to propose technologies that could fit into the future constellation.
Apex’s commercial-first approach contrasts with legacy defence primes such as Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman. Lockheed announced plans in August for a space-based interceptor demo in 2028 and is building a prototyping centre in Virginia to address key Golden Dome challenges. CEO Jim Taiclet said: “We’re rapidly increasing production capacity across the missiles, sensors, battle management systems, and satellite integration opportunities that will be directly relevant to achieve the overarching objective of Golden Dome.”
Northrop Grumman, meanwhile, is already testing interceptors on the ground and conducting high-fidelity analysis for the Pentagon. CEO Kathy Warden stated: “I think you’ll see more clarity coming from the department as they share more information on that architecture and plan in the coming months.”
Cinnamon emphasised Apex’s independent approach and urgency in advancing space defence capabilities. “Apex isn’t waiting for handouts or contracts; we are developing this Orbital Magazine technology on our own dime and moving incredibly fast,” he said.
