baddx.blogg.se - Satellite view of space

That is exactly where K2 Space sees an opportunity. Small satellites still come with size, weight and power constraints, however, forcing developers to make performance and cost trade-offs. Coupled with lower launch costs brought about by SpaceX’s partially reusable Falcon 9 launch vehicle, companies are launching constellations of small communications and Earth-observation satellites. Shrinking electronics and hardware as well as falling component prices have made minifridge-size satellites useful for a variety of missions that could previously only be accomplished by larger satellites. Most satellite companies are investing in small satellites.

Yet K2 Space is swimming against the stream in attempting to develop a large satellite. Kunjur cofounded the company with his brother Neel, the startup’s chief technology officer. “It’s a large satellite at small satellite prices,” K2 Space CEO Karan Kunjur said at the Satellite 2023 show on March 14 in Washington. K2 Space believes lower launch costs as well as room for larger, commercial off-the-shelf components ought to allow it to do something previously not possible: develop a large satellite for $15 million.

A spacious bus might allow for larger Earth-observation sensors.

More solar panels could enable higher-power communications systems.

The Los Angeles company unveiled its plans on March 10 and announced that it had raised an $8.5 million seed round led by First Round Capital and Republic Capital, with participation from Boost VC, Also Capital and Countdown Capital, among others. The startup is banking on SpaceX’s Starship, a fully reusable, super-heavy-lift launch vehicle, to reduce costs to $100 per kilogram, enough to make it affordable to launch its 4.5-metric-ton Mega-class satellite bus.

While everybody else is going small, K2 Space is going big.