The Gravitas mission aims to demonstrate the adaptability of K2 Space’s Mega Class satellite bus for operations in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and Medium Earth Orbit (MEO). This is a significant milestone, as K2 Space will become one of the first commercial entities to validate satellite operations in MEO, a region gaining importance for initiatives such as “Resilient GPS.”
Support for the mission comes from several Department of the Air Force organisations, including the Space Domain Awareness and Combat Power PEO, the Space Development Agency, and the Air Force Research Lab. Karan Kunjur, CEO of K2 Space, expressed gratitude for the collaboration, stating, “This mission is fortunate to enjoy support from various parts of the U.S. Space Force; these stakeholders all recognised that the K2 bus is unique in its ability to provide the capabilities needed for their future missions.”
The Mega Class satellite bus represents a major advancement in satellite technology, offering ten times the power of other low-cost platforms and a spacious 3-metre by 3-metre payload deck. Designed for versatility, it can operate in LEO, MEO, Geosynchronous Orbit (GEO), and even Cislunar space, supporting future Hybrid Space Architectures. Its design also enables the stacking of up to 10 satellites per launch, providing a new approach to deploying constellations efficiently.
K2 Space aims to address gaps in current satellite offerings, particularly for MEO and GEO operations. “As we looked at the market, we saw options for Proliferated LEO, but very few options for Proliferated MEO and GEO – the K2 bus is designed to fill this critical gap in our defence architecture,” Kunjur noted.
The company manufactures 75% of its satellite components in-house, including reaction wheels, flight computers, and solar arrays. Among its innovations is a 20kW electric propulsion system, four times more powerful than any system currently in use. This capability will allow for faster orbit-raising and manoeuvring, facilitating the deployment of satellites across MEO, GEO, and Cislunar space.
