Capella Space Case Study: Partnership Achieves CMMC Certification, Gains Competitive Edge in Aerospace Sector

Capella Space is revolutionizing Earth observation with its cutting-edge constellation of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellites, delivering near real-time, high-resolution imagery to commercial and government customers worldwide. Headquartered in San Francisco, Capella designs, builds, and operates its satellites end-to-end—a fully integrated model that makes cybersecurity and compliance foundational to every mission. 

To support its expanding operations, Capella partnered with Summit 7 to strengthen its cybersecurity infrastructure, prepare for future compliance mandates, and ultimately achieve  CMMC Level 2 certification becoming one of the first aerospace company to do so. 

The Challenge 

As a rapidly scaling aerospace organization working with both commercial and U.S. government clients, Capella faced dual challenges: engineering excellence and ensuring their systems met the strict regulatory standards for handling Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI). 

Led by SOC Manager Dan Byrnside, Capella’s security team needed to: 

• Secure its fully automated satellite tasking platform, which enables customer-driven scheduling and data capture 

• Protect high-value SAR imagery and intellectual property from cyber threats, including nation-state actors 

• Navigate federal requirements including CMMC, DFARS 7012, and NIST SP 800-171 

• Build a scalable, audit-ready cybersecurity program while maintaining agile development and deployment pipelines 

Capella needed a partner who could translate complex compliance frameworks into practical, sustainable operations. 

The Solution 

Summit 7 brought technical and compliance expertise, along with a tailored approach to cybersecurity maturity made for defense innovators like Capella. Together, they executed a multifaceted program that transformed Capella’s cyber posture and led directly to their successful CMMC certification. 

1. Strategic Compliance Roadmapping

Summit 7 worked side-by-side with Capella’s team to conduct a comprehensive gap analysis against CMMC Level 2 requirements and built a roadmap that integrated seamlessly into their engineering and operational workflows. 

2. Summit 7 Guardian Implementation

To accelerate and operationalize compliance, Summit 7 deployed Guardian, its managed compliance and security platform. Guardian provided Capella with: 

• Continuous monitoring and alerting for NIST 800-171 controls 

• Automated evidence collection to reduce audit preparation time 

• Managed compliance dashboards that gave Capella real-time insights into posture and gaps 

Guardian not only helped Capella mature its compliance, but ensured it remained sustainable across audits and future growth. 

3. SOC Optimization and Incident Response

Capella’s SOC received expert guidance on optimizing security operations, including advanced detection strategies, playbooks for incident response, and integration with SIEM tools to ensure fast, reliable threat visibility. 

4. Microsoft GCC High Planning and Integration

As part of their roadmap, Summit 7 laid the foundation for Capella’s eventual move to Microsoft GCC High ensuring they would be ready to meet the heightened standards required by DoD contracts. 

5. Audit-Ready Documentation and Evidence Support

Summit 7 guided Capella through the creation of governance artifacts—policies, procedures, and technical documentation—aligned to CMMC Level 2 and built to satisfy both auditors and operational teams. 

The Results 

Capella Space’s investment in cybersecurity is now a strategic advantage powering trust, enabling innovation, and opening new doors in the federal contracting space. 

✅ CMMC Level 2 Certified 

Capella became one of the first aerospace company to earn CMMC Level 2 certification, positioning them as a leader in defense-compliant satellite operations and data delivery. 

✅ Competitive Differentiation 

Certification has unlocked new opportunities for Capella to bid on high-value DoD contracts, giving them a critical edge in a competitive industry. 

✅ Elevated Security Posture 

With support from Summit 7 and the Guardian platform, Capella’s SOC operates with greater speed, visibility, and control across both cloud and on-prem environments. 

✅ Future-Proof Compliance Program 

By aligning their strategy with DFARS, NIST 800-171, and CMMC requirements, Capella is well-positioned for future audits and maturing regulations in the defense sector. 

“We engineer and build everything in-house—our satellites, our platforms—so we need a partner who understands both the technical depth and the compliance nuance. Summit 7 has delivered on both fronts.” 
— Dan Byrnside, SOC Manager, Capella Space 

About Capella Space 

Capella Space is an American space tech company with data and satellite solutions for government and commercial use. A leader in the Earth observation industry, Capella is the first U.S. company to design, build and operate a global constellation of Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellites, delivering high quality, high resolution SAR imagery. The company’s SAR satellites are matched with a fully automated Tasking system and adaptable sensor technologies to quickly deliver reliable global insights that provide global transparency for our evolving planet. Capella is headquartered in San Francisco, California with additional locations in Denver, Colorado and Washington, D.C.

About Summit 7 

Summit 7 is the leading cybersecurity, compliance, and cloud engineering partner for the Aerospace and Defense industry. Specializing in CMMC, NIST 800-171, DFARS, and Microsoft GCC High solutions, Summit 7 helps organizations secure Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI), prepare for audits, and compete confidently in the federal marketplace. 

With platforms like Guardian, Summit 7 delivers end-to-end visibility, automation, and peace of mind for organizations navigating complex regulatory environments.