Why It Matters

Astranis Space Technologies Corp., a San Francisco-based builder of small geostationary satellite is making a big bet on federal policy. by filing a 2025 second quarter amendment lobbying disclosure of $330,000 in lobbying expenditures. This is part of a dramatic escalation in the company's federal government relations activity that began in early 2025.

Astranis operates in a policy environment where federal procurement decisions and defense appropriations directly shape the market for commercial satellite services. The company has consistently lobbied on the National Defense Authorization Act and Department of Defense appropriations — the two legislative vehicles that most directly govern whether commercially-derived satellites can compete for government contracts. Based on prior filings, the core challenge appears to be securing a place for small, commercially-derived geostationary satellites within U.S. Space Force procurement. A favorable legislative outcome would mean explicit funding and authorization for the Space Force to acquire the type of satellites Astranis builds.

By the Numbers:

The second quarter amendment filing reflects a company that has significantly elevated its Washington footprint. In-house lobbying spend jumped from roughly $25,000 to $26,000 per quarter throughout 2024 to $365,000 in the first Quarter of 2025 and $330,000 in the second Quarter — an increase of more than tenfold.

The company has retained multiple external firms over the past two years, including:

The in-house lobbying effort is led by a single registered lobbyist, Justin Kaiser Ham, who has filed across every quarter. Total disclosed lobbying spend across all registrants over the prior year reached approximately $702,000, with the in-house operation now driving the bulk of that activity.

The second quarter filing is an amendment, not an original report. A separate second quarter report filing also exists for the same period, also reporting $330,000.

The Agenda

The Second Quarter amendment filing lists no specific issues, legislation, or lobbyists — a notable gap for a filing of this size. Prior filings, however, paint a consistent picture. Across every quarter since mid-2024, Astranis has lobbied on the National Defense Authorization Act and Department of Defense Appropriations. Holland & Knight's filings specifically cited H.R. 8774, the FY25 DoD Appropriations Act, and H.R. 8070, the FY25 NDAA, in the context of satellite communications. Thorn Run Partners repeatedly cited the "Space Force need for commercially-derived small satellites" as its lobbying subject.

Broader Context:

The policy environment surrounding space industry lobbying has been active. In February 2025, Rep. Ken Calvert introduced the Space Infrastructure Act, which would direct the Department of Homeland Security to designate space systems, services, and technology as critical infrastructure. The bill's explicit reference to communications satellites in orbit is directly relevant to the type of assets Astranis operates.

On the defense side, Astranis was awarded one of five spots on a potential $4 billion Protected Tactical Satcom-Global contract alongside Boeing, Intelsat, Northrop Grumman, and Viasat — a significant milestone for a company of its size. The company has also announced it is developing next-generation Resilient GPS satellites for U.S. Space Force Space Systems Command.

On the regulatory front, the FCC granted special temporary authority to Astranis Projects USA in April 2025, and the agency has been pursuing a broader Space Modernization for the 21st Century rulemaking that would overhaul satellite licensing processes.

Competitive Landscape

Astranis is not alone in lobbying on Space Force procurement and satellite communications policy. Its co-awardees on the PTS-G contract — Boeing, Northrop Grumman, Viasat, and Intelsat — are all established players with substantial Washington presences of their own. The satellite communications space has drawn lobbying attention from a range of actors on NDAA and DoD Appropriations provisions, though the specific legislative language Astranis is seeking has not been publicly disclosed in its filings.

The Bottom Line

The surge in Astranis's in-house lobbying spend — from roughly $26,000 per quarter to $330,000 to $365,000 — signals a company that has moved government relations from a supporting function to a central strategic priority. With active defense contracts, pending regulatory proceedings at the FCC, and recurring engagement on the NDAA and DoD Appropriations, the Astranis Space Technologies Corp. federal lobbying disclosure pattern reflects a company working to translate commercial momentum into durable policy wins.

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