CTO Neel Kunjur on Payload's Valley of Depth podcast

Smallsats have defined the last decade of space, but their limitations are clear: low power, limited throughput, and fragile unit economics. K2 Space Corporation is betting on the opposite. The company is building mega class and giga class satellites, platforms measured in tons rather than kilograms, that deliver unprecedented power, capacity, and resilience. On this episode of Valley of Depth, we’re joined by Neel Kunjur, cofounder and CTO of K2 Space. Neel traces the journey from early Slack messages about the promise of MEO to a 160 person team building the largest commercial satellites ever attempted. He shares how K2 has reimagined subsystems like reaction wheels, high voltage power, and 20 kW propulsion to unlock entirely new mission architectures in MEO, GEO, and beyond. We also discuss: – Why MEO is an underexplored orbital regime – The engineering breakthroughs behind large reaction wheels and high voltage power systems – How stackable satellites change constellation design – The long term vision for space infrastructure, from in space compute to energy harvesting …and more. Full episode below 👇

🌌 Advancing Optical Wireless Communications Between Space and the Stratosphere HAPS Alliance member SoftBank Corp., together with NICT, KIYOHARA OPTICS Inc., and ArkEdge Space Inc., has announced a new collaboration to demonstrate optical wireless communications between Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites and HAPS. Building on a 2026 demonstration of optical links between space and the ground, the partners plan to extend their efforts in 2027 to test bidirectional optical communications between space and the stratosphere — a world-pioneering initiative that brings us closer to seamless non-terrestrial networks and global connectivity. 📖 Read more: https://lnkd.in/ef8UWZmJ #HAPS #SoftBank #OpticalCommunications #NTN #ConnectivityFromTheSky #SpaceTechnology #HAPSAlliance

Edge Computing in Space: Real-Time Data Processing with Satellites 👇 What happens when satellites can think for themselves? With edge computing, spacecraft no longer need to send all data back to Earth for analysis — they can process it directly in orbit. That means: ✅ Faster response to changing conditions ✅ Autonomous decision-making without delays ✅ Optimized bandwidth for mission-critical operations ✅ Lower infrastructure costs In our latest blog, we explore how AI + edge computing are transforming satellites into smarter, more independent systems — and share a real-world example of a CubeSat project powered by Red Pitaya STEMlab. 👉 Read the full blog here: https://hubs.la/Q03M338S0

🚀FLEXELL SPACE Mission Announcement🚀 We are thrilled to announce that Flexell Space will conduct its first In-Orbit Demonstration mission(LUMOS-1) on November 27, 2025. This mission marks a major milestone in validating our flexible, lightweight, next-generation solar cell in space. Through LUMOS-1, we aim to demonstrate the performance and durability of our advanced solar cells under real orbital conditions — paving the way for future space power systems for satellites, HAPS, and beyond. We sincerely thank our partners — Hanwha, Inha University, KARI, LK Chem, and many others — for joining us on this journey to power space and unleash tomorrow. #FlexellSpace #LUMOS1 #INHARoSAT #SpaceTechnology #KSLV #IODMission #KoreaSpace #Perovskite #SolarArray #NewSpace #SpaceInnovation

Beyond Gravity boosts Swiss production of solar array mechanisms, Zurich, Switzerland (SPX) Oct 16, 2025 Beyond Gravity has expanded its Swiss production capacity for solar array drive mechanisms (SADMs) by doubling its manufacturing floor area, enabling a fivefold increase in annual output from 36 to 200 units. The expansion underscores the company's growing role in supplying critical satellite hardware to the global space industry. "These mechanisms allow satellites to continuously align th, : Zurich,

🚀 SPINNING FOR SPACE: TESTING HEAT PIPES UNDER EXTREME CONDITIONS OHB Italia S.p.A. recently challenged its Heat Pipes at #ESA’s Large Diameter Centrifuge, investigating how these key components for spacecraft thermal control behave under strong rotational accelerations. Why does it matter? Heat Pipes are at the core of the #CIMR (Copernicus Imaging Microwave Radiometer) instrument that OHB Italia S.p.A. is developing for the European Agency. They can transfer heat with outstanding efficiency, but must perform reliably even in highly dynamic environments. The Thermal Control Team at OHB Italia S.p.A. designed and executed the test, collecting valuable data to optimise the Heat Pipes’ design: higher performance, reduced mass and lower integration complexity. 📹 Attached you’ll find a short video from the test: a close-up look at how today’s experiments shape tomorrow’s space technologies. #OHBItalia #ESA #CIMR #ThermalEngineering #SpaceInnovation #Copernicus Under a programme of and funded by the European Space Agency. The view expressed herein can in no way be taken to reflect the official opinion of the European Space agency www.ohb-italia.it

Novaspace Projects $665B in Satellite Build and Launch Activity: 43,000-Satellite Surge Reshapes Orbital Competition and Challenges Legacy GEO Models Paris, France [October 7, 2025] – Launched today, Novaspace’s 28th edition of Satellites to Be Built and Launched reveals a […] The post Novaspace Projects $665B in Satellite Build and Launch Activity appeared first on SpaceNews. #neuco

CNN has featured SC funded Muon Space and its partners, Earth Fire Alliance and Google, for their groundbreaking work on FireSat, a constellation of more than 50 satellites designed to scan the globe for signs of wildfire. Operating in near real time, FireSat integrates advanced infrared sensors with AI-powered data analysis to deliver critical intelligence to responders. This capability will fundamentally transform wildfire detection, monitoring, and response, offering a scalable solution to one of the most pressing climate challenges of our time. Watch the full video to learn how Muon Space is enabling global resilience through next-generation space technology: https://lnkd.in/db_XT6-T

Every Great Mission Starts Small   🚀 When we think of space technology, we imagine powerful rockets, orbiting satellites, and ambitious missions to the Moon and beyond. But behind every spacecraft’s success lies something much smaller, but just as critical: microelectronic packages. 💡 These tiny, ultra lightweight housings protect and connect the delicate electronics that power flight computers, sensors, communication systems, and scientific instruments. In the vacuum of space, where radiation, extreme temperatures, and mechanical stress would destroy unprotected components, they’re crucial to keep missions running. Without them, satellites couldn’t relay signals, spacecraft couldn’t navigate, and scientific instruments couldn’t gather data. They help enable exploration, communication, and discovery.   🩵 At SCHOTT, we’re proud to play a part in this story, developing microelectronic packaging that helps make space missions possible, from orbit to the outer planets. This #WorldSpaceWeek, we’re celebrating the people and technologies that make the extraordinary space projects possible. #WSW2025

Kepler’s optical constellation supports the growing demands for instantaneous data relay in space, leading the industry into the next era of connectivity.     Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/ejXw3xq9   #space #innovation #opticaltechnology