tech
Investors commit quarter-billion dollars to startup designing “Giga” satellites
“If we build these platforms well, we get to ask new questions about what’s possible in orbit.”
TL;DR
- K2, a satellite startup founded in 2022, raised $250 million in Series C funding, bringing its total to over $400 million.
- The company is developing "Mega" and "Giga" class satellites designed for high-power applications and to utilize upcoming heavy-lift launch vehicles.
- Its first "Mega Class" satellite, Gravitas, will launch in March 2026 on a Falcon 9 rocket to test a powerful Hall-effect thruster and large solar arrays.
- K2 utilizes a vertical integration strategy, designing its own components to reduce manufacturing costs and scale production.
- The "Giga" class satellites are designed for super-heavy rockets like Starship and New Glenn, capable of generating up to 100 kilowatts of power.
- Potential applications for Giga satellites include AI computing, high-throughput networks, and large telescopes.