ATL Partners Announces Sale of Geost to Rocket Lab and Launches New Defense Electronics Platform, Trident Solutions
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--ATL Partners ('ATL'), a sector-focused private equity firm, today announced the sale of Geost, LLC ('Geost'), a subsidiary of its portfolio company LightRidge Solutions, to Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (Nasdaq: RKLB), a leading space systems and launch services provider. This transaction represents a successful exit for ATL, which acquired Geost in 2021 and, in partnership with management, scaled the business into a market leader in electro-optical and infrared (EO/IR) sensing technologies supporting high-priority national security space missions.
With more than 20 years of flight heritage across classified and unclassified missions, Geost delivers advanced EO/IR sensor systems for missile warning and tracking, tactical intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, Earth observation, and space domain awareness – core capabilities for achieving the U.S. Department of Defense's goals for resilient, proliferated space architectures such as the proposed Golden Dome.
ATL takes a thematic approach to investing and is focused on three critical, high-growth and attractive segments of the industrial economy: commercial aerospace, national security, and transportation & logistics. Accordingly, in 2021, ATL established LightRidge Solutions as a platform to acquire national security-focused assets following the acquisition of Geost.
Under ATL's ownership, Geost entered new critical mission areas, introduced innovative and affordable products for its customers, and expanded its production and engineering base to be a leading supplier of payloads. Rocket Lab's acquisition affirms the value and technical excellence Geost brings to the EO/IR payload space and meaningfully enhances Rocket Lab's integrated solutions for defense and intelligence customers.
'Under ATL's ownership, Geost has been transformed into a disruptive and innovative space technology business,' said Michael Kramer, a Partner at ATL Partners. 'We have worked closely with Geost's talented team to accelerate growth, deepen technical capabilities, and expand customer engagement. Geost's contributions to missile warning, space domain awareness and protection, and proliferated LEO architectures have been fundamental to this success. Rocket Lab is a compelling new home for Geost's team and mission, and we are excited to see what comes next.'
Bill Gattle, Geost's General Manager and CEO of LightRidge Solutions, said, 'We are incredibly grateful to ATL Partners for its support and strategic guidance over the past four years. With ATL's backing, we have grown into an industry leader, delivering technologies that address real mission needs for government and commercial customers. By joining forces with Rocket Lab, we are enhancing our ability to scale, accelerate innovation, and broaden our impact. We look forward to this next chapter as we continue to meet the evolving challenges of our customers and the industry.'
ATL Launches Trident as a Defense Electronics Platform
Upon the closing of this transaction, ATL will combine the two remaining divisions of LightRidge, Trident Systems and Ophir Corporation, to form a newly integrated platform, Trident Solutions. This new entity will focus exclusively on providing mission critical electrical components, processing solutions, and airborne payloads that are aligned with the country's most pressing national security challenges. ATL believes that Trident Solutions is well positioned to serve as a partner of choice for many leading prime and government customers across multiple domains as well as capitalize on growing opportunities in defense electronics, national security space, and advanced airborne systems. ATL Partners will continue to actively support Trident Solutions as it expands its platform through both organic growth and strategic acquisitions.
The transaction is subject to regulatory review and approval which is expected to be obtained in the second half of 2025. LightRidge and Rocket Lab will operate as independent businesses and run their operations as usual until that time.
Baird served as financial advisor and Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP served as legal counsel to LightRidge.
About ATL Partners:
Founded in 2014, ATL Partners is a premier sector-focused private equity firm that invests in commercial aerospace, national security, and transportation & logistics companies. ATL brings deep sector expertise to its investment approach with experienced investment professionals and strong operating executives who have decades of combined experience in each of ATL's core sectors. For more information about ATL Partners, visit https://www.atlpartners.com.
About Geost
Founded in 2004, Geost, LLC, a LightRidge Solutions Company and portfolio company of ATL Partners, is a rapidly growing producer of affordable high-performance optical systems for critical national security space missions. The company has served its core National Security Space customer base since its founding and employs over 100 high performing professionals. For more information on Geost visit: https://www.geost.com.
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