Karman+ Raises $20M For Asteroid Mining Demo [Feb 21]QuoteKarman+, a CO-based asteroid mining startup, has raised $20M in seed financing to continue the development of its first demo mission—High Frontier—which is set to launch in February 2027.[...]Its first mission in 2027 will hitch a ride on SpaceX’s Transporter-19 rideshare to LEO before powering itself to a near-Earth asteroid. High Frontier will aim to demonstrate the company’s ability to fly in space, rendezvous with an asteroid, and mine ~1kg of material.Its early business model depends on its ability to process material in space and use the output to refuel spacecraft in orbit.Karman+ has tested this capability in the lab, but during its second mission—also expected to fly in 2027—the company hopes to put that refueling capability to work for paying customers.“Refueling is still an unresolved puzzle…but the idea of extending life of assets, especially in GEO, is something that has seen a ton of demand, so we have various customers in that group,” van den Dries said.
Karman+, a CO-based asteroid mining startup, has raised $20M in seed financing to continue the development of its first demo mission—High Frontier—which is set to launch in February 2027.[...]Its first mission in 2027 will hitch a ride on SpaceX’s Transporter-19 rideshare to LEO before powering itself to a near-Earth asteroid. High Frontier will aim to demonstrate the company’s ability to fly in space, rendezvous with an asteroid, and mine ~1kg of material.Its early business model depends on its ability to process material in space and use the output to refuel spacecraft in orbit.Karman+ has tested this capability in the lab, but during its second mission—also expected to fly in 2027—the company hopes to put that refueling capability to work for paying customers.“Refueling is still an unresolved puzzle…but the idea of extending life of assets, especially in GEO, is something that has seen a ton of demand, so we have various customers in that group,” van den Dries said.
SpaceBey announced today that it has signed a launch service agreement with South Korean space business Lumir Inc. for its second small SAR satellite. The satellite, which will be launched in 2027 by SpaceX Rideshare Launch Service, will be the second in the company’s constellation under development.
The Lumir micro-SAR constellation system consists of 18 satellites, which can capture images of major areas of interest around the globe in less than an hour and provide images and information to customers.[...]It provides world-class ultra-high resolution images with a slope range of 0.125 m and a ground range of 0.3 m through a radar signal bandwidth of 1200 MHz.
Synspective Signs Rideshare Launch Contract with SpaceX for Launch of StriX Satellites2025.03.24Synspective Inc., a provider of Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellite data and analytics solutions, is pleased to announce that it has signed a contract with SpaceX for the launch of two Synspective StriX satellites on a rideshare mission target for 2027.[...]
The 200-kilogram Delphi demonstrator would then be fitted with a new payload and relaunched to validate a business model aimed at reducing costs while improving sustainability and resiliency, according to Lux Aeterna founder and CEO Brian Taylor.[...]Lux Aeterna plans to fly a customer payload on its demonstration mission in early 2027 but declined to provide details.[...]Delphi is scheduled to launch on a Falcon 9 rideshare mission, and Taylor said future satellites would be slightly larger than the demonstrator but remain compatible with Falcon 9 launches.The satellite would use onboard propulsion to guide its return to Earth, and Lux Aeterna is working with the Federal Aviation Administration on a flight safety analysis for its first mission.“The only thing that we’re ready to disclose right now is that we are going to be landing on land,” Taylor said.
The company plans to embark on its pathfinder demonstration in early 2027, when it will launch its first spacecraft, Delphi, via Exolaunch on a rideshare mission with SpaceX. Delphi will demonstrate an end-to-end mission by hosting an onboard payload, conducting on-orbit tests, then re-entering Earth's atmosphere to be recovered and refurbished for another flight, making it the first satellite ever to fly twice.
For our demonstration mission, we're leveraging NASA heritage heat shield technology. This proven design minimizes risk on the highest-risk component of our first flight. The heat shield serves dual duty as both the satellite's primary structure and thermal protection system, eliminating the complexity and mass penalties of traditional designs while enabling routine atmospheric reentry.
Southern Launch and Lux Aeterna have signed a contract to conduct orbital re-entries of Lux Aeterna’s reusable satellite infrastructure to the Koonibba Test Range in South Australia. The partnership will support the future of circular space manufacturing and operations with rapid, reliable, and flexible access to orbit, enabling governments, businesses, and research organizations to maximize the benefits of the space economy.Under the agreement, two Lux Aeterna Delphi satellites will return to the Koonibba Test Range with Southern Launch. The first mission is targeted to return in 2027.
Rogue Space's Orbital Test Program 3 satellite is on board (with Transporter-16 and 18 also booked).
Rogue’s OTP-3 Mission features an ESPA Sized craft under 200kg, featuring precision AOCS, as well as Rendezvous-Proximity Operations and Docking (RPOD) capability. We have around 40kg of extra mass budget, with an Orbit Average Power of over 80w and peak power of 1.2kw. Our Scalable Compute Platform (SCP) is designed for parallel edge computing, capable of handling complex algorithms in AI, image processing, autonomy, and more. Customers can host their algorithms on the SCP. The SCP will have access to all sensor data that can be used as input data for these algorithms.There is onboard storage, and downlinking will be conducted on X band occurring approximately three to five times a day. Additionally, we will have a multispectral remote sensing instrument, alongside RPOD situational-awareness cameras and sensors. GNSS information, PPS as well as pointing metadata can be provided to payloads. In addition to precision pointing, OTP-3 will have 6DOF RCS thrusters for enhanced agility along with a targeted Delta V of more than 1 km/s. We can accommodate various field of view and thermal management needs, with flexible internal and external volume available. The bus is fully redundant and expected to have a 7-year lifespan.
Karman+ Raises $20M For Asteroid Mining Demo [Feb 21]QuoteKarman+, a CO-based asteroid mining startup, has raised $20M in seed financing to continue the development of its first demo mission—High Frontier—which is set to launch in February 2027.
Karman+, a CO-based asteroid mining startup, has raised $20M in seed financing to continue the development of its first demo mission—High Frontier—which is set to launch in February 2027.
First solar array deployment test: COMPLETE.Our asteroid mining spacecraft needs power from the sun and Todd Whitaker has designed what will be the most efficient arrays flown in space to capture it. You're watching a solar array wing dev unit get deployed (~36% scale area of the flight version). This test validated our boom linear drive system, fold-out blanket deployment & tensioning, and general deployed structure of the wing.
Launch to LEO: February 2027Arrival at Asteroid: < 15 months (7.5 months to spiral out of LEO)Total Cost: < $20 millionUnit Cost: < $10 millionSolar Power: 5.5 kW
High Frontier Mission UpdateOur primary mission objective for mission 1 is: • To rendezvous with an uncharacterized near-Earth Asteroid and showcase capturing regolith at kilogram scale, minimizing mission duration and cost. • We're launching in ~15 months on Transporter 19.
InterGravity's first key milestone will be the launch of its 50kg liftoff mass orbital transport vehicle, the iGRVT-50, aboard a SpaceX rocket in the first quarter of 2027.The representative said, "Through this launch, we will verify the propulsion system and navigation module we have developed so far in space, and then move on to attracting customers in earnest." He added, "For the verification to be successful, we must complete the development of the orbital transport vehicle by the second quarter of next year."
We’re excited to share that InterGravity Technologies has successfully carried out Korea’s first combustion test for our independently developed orbital transfer vehicle model, marking a major step towards self-reliance in space transportation. This test validated the performance of our 20N thruster based on non-toxic propellants and our ultra-lightweight carbon composite tank with an empty mass of just 1.2kg. Looking ahead, we’re gearing up to launch the iGRVT-50 orbital transfer vehicle (targeting a liftoff weight of 50 kg) in the first quarter of 2027. Our mission is to pioneer autonomous navigation and reusable launch technologies for the global commercial space transportation market. We have secured a vacuum chamber to simulate the space environment and will begin combustion testing under vacuum conditions starting in June.
Dcubed GmbH today announced its expansion into space-based energy systems with the introduction of ARAQYS — the power solution for space. With ARAQYS, Dcubed is positioning itself as the category leader in delivering affordable, scalable, and unlimited energy in orbit.After SpaceX, Rocket Lab, and others transformed access to space through lower launch costs and increased capacity, a new generation of in-orbit applications—from data centers, high delta-v transportation and direct-to-device communications to defense constellations—has emerged. Each shares a common challenge: a massive demand for affordable, scalable power.ARAQYS addresses this by providing a full spectrum of space power solutions—from traditional deployable solar arrays to their proprietary in-space-manufactured kW solar array subsystems, and ultimately to Space Power Plants capable of beaming energy wherever it’s needed. This technology aims to dramatically reduce the cost per kilowatt, laying the groundwork for space infrastructure and directed-energy platforms of the future.“Dcubed is fully committed to leading the next frontier: power generation in orbit,” said Dr. Thomas Sinn, CEO of Dcubed. “My involvement in a NASA NIAC study on space-based solar power more than 15 years ago set this journey in motion. Since then, we’ve been steadily developing the technologies required to make in-space energy a practical reality. With ARAQYS, we’re now combining those years of innovation into affordable large-scale power solutions designed to meet the demands of the rapidly growing space economy.”The ARAQYS-D3 Mission: Building the Future of Space PowerAs the next step toward this vision, Dcubed announced the ARAQYS-D3 mission, which is manifested for launch in Q1 2027 aboard a SpaceX Rideshare mission. This mission will demonstrate a 2kW in-space-manufactured solar array with combined application cases in power-beaming and directed energy, as well as demonstrating electric-propulsion-enabled high delta-v capabilities.The ARAQYS-D3 satellite will be built by Astro Digital, a heritage spacecraft bus provider located just a few miles from Dcubed USA’s headquarters in Berthoud, Colorado. This close proximity enables tight collaboration between European and American teams, symbolizing transatlantic cooperation in advancing the next era of space systems.The launch of ARAQYS-D3 is brokered by Maverick Space Systems, who will also provide launch management and integration services for the satellite. Maverick’s support will help Dcubed streamline the launch process, reduce risk, and allow us to focus on the ARAQYS-D3 mission.[...]The production of the ARAQYS-D3 spacecraft and the ISM solar array will be conducted across Dcubed’s facilities in Munich, Germany, and Berthoud, Colorado, USA, demonstrating the company’s bi-continental production capability and readiness for megawatt-scale manufacturing. The launch integration will be carried out by Maverick Space Systems from San Luis Obispo, California.
3. SpaceDrop vehicles: CarryAll Block 1 & Block 2All Outpost space return vehicles are now called CarryAll. Block 1 is a smaller, demo for early service. Blocks 2 & 3 are 5 and 10-ton cargo vehicles for scaled logistics. Mission 1’s Block 1 build continues with heat‑shield deployment testing, launches Feb 2027 with SpaceX.
Payload: Up to 200 kgStandard: Built to ISS Double Mid-Deck Locker standardsTurnaround: Get payload back into your hands within days or hoursUse Cases: R&D, hypersonic testing, in-space manufacturing, and more
Alba Orbital, the world’s leading provider of PocketQube satellite launch services, is thrilled to announce its continued partnership with Delft University of Technology’s Delfi Space Laboratory in the Netherlands. The upcoming mission, Delfi-Twins, is scheduled to launch in Q1 2027 aboard Alba Orbital’s PocketQube rideshare mission. [...]The satellites will be initially deployed in a docked configuration and separated on command, allowing ground-based optical and radio networks to track the separation event in real time. The formation will be established using deployable wings to control drag, maintaining a baseline distance of approximately 100 km between the satellite Equipped with on-board GNSS receivers, the mission aims to achieve sub-meter-level orbit knowledge, which will be validated by ground-based laser reflector tracking. Additional payloads include a miniaturized radiation detector and other novel sensors, all developed in-house by students and researchers at TU Delft.
A major ongoing project is Delfi-Twinsats , which involves at least two satellites working in formation. This project focuses on precise orbit determination (POD) using GNSS raw data and laser reflectors for verification. It also explores autonomous formation control and relative navigation through RF-based inter-satellite communications. Delfi-Twinsats serves as an in-orbit laboratory, allowing students and researchers to test advanced algorithms related to ADCS, autonomy, and spacecraft operations.
Can very small satellites do real science in space? Can they dock, perform precise orbit maneuvers, and even help manage space traffic? At the PocketQube Conference 2025, a visionary team from Delft University of Technology (TU Delft) shares their ground breaking work with Delfi-PQ—and the next-gen twin satellites that are aiming to dock in orbit!
Mission Evolution Demo Flight set for early 2027Max Space expandable habitat demonstration, Mission Evolution, is an evolutionary leap forward in space real estate. The primary objective is to test and verify the on-orbit deployment of the expandable module with its exceptional micrometeoroid protection layers. After many years of successful ground testing and development, the flight unit is in full production and is scheduled for launch Q1 2027 onboard a scheduled SpaceX [rideshare] launch.
Max Space’s demo mission to launch on SpaceX Falcon 9The uncrewed demonstration of Max Space's habitat technology is slated to launch in 2027 on a SpaceX rideshare mission.“It will have some small payloads in there, a lot of sensors, a lot of cameras. We're going to be testing out a few of the technologies that we've tested fully and robustly on the ground, in orbit, just to make sure that everything is doing exactly what it should be doing when we go for larger launches,” said Miyan.The design also enables external integration of components like windows, docking adapters, robotic arms, cameras, or satellite communication devices without altering the module's overall architecture.“So that allows us to manufacture quickly. It allows us to be very flexible with customer requirements,” said Miyan. “It allows us to get from LEO (low Earth orbit) to moon to Mars without any redesign requirement, which is incredible, and it's exactly what the innovation of real estate in space has needed.”
As part of the TAMARIW project, two identical 3U CubeSats with autonomous docking systems are being developed in order to carry out multiple undocking/docking maneuvers in space at predefined relative distances. Once the two satellites are docked, the resulting 6U CubeSat structure is intended to be capable of moving and rotating as a single unit. ...The satellites are to be launched in the first quarter of 2027 in a docked configuration as a single 6U CubeSat. The project is being developed by the Chair of Information Technology for Aerospace at the University of Würzburg and the Center for Telematics e.V. in Würzburg, and is being funded by the German Aerospace Center’s (DLR) space agency using federal funds from the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Technology (BMWi).
Scheduled to be sent into orbit at the close of 2026 via a SpaceX rocket, Hibiscus is a new type of satellite that will bring down the cost of thermal imaging, opening the benefits of ultra-high resolution heat mapping to a wide range of applications. This could range from agricultural uses, where thermal pictures can assess irrigation performance, to security cases with heat mapping of vehicles, to sustainability planning with urban energy use monitoring. Equipped with a high-resolution camera, Hibiscus will capture thermal images accurate to +/- half a degree centigrade, with area precision down to the size of a car.[...]“With our telescopes, you will be able to get four times better resolution per unit cost, meaning that you can match the current state-of-the-art in thermal imaging from space using a satellite the size of a microwave,” explains Marco Gomez-Jenkins, CEO, SuperSharp. “If our clients need higher image resolution further still, we can scale up to a larger platform with a larger version of our telescope to capture the sharpest thermal images available in the market.”
UK-based SuperSharp, part of the Satlantis group, has selected Kongsberg NanoAvionics’s MP42 microsatellite platform for a first-of-its-kind Thermal InfraRed (TIR) mission called Blue Moon. The mission will embark SuperSharp’s flagship instrument HIBISCUS, an 80kg payload, onboard NanoAvionics’ flight-proven MP42 satellite bus. The launch is scheduled for the second half of 2026 onboard a SpaceX’s Transporter rideshare service.[...]HIBISCUS can capture Long-Wave InfraRed (LWIR) imagery at a spatial resolution of three metres. The data generated by this category-defining satellite will support applications in the field of climate resilience, such as urban heat monitoring, as well as those in the domain of national security. It aims also to enable new applications in these fields.
A pleasant visit from our customers at SuperSharp, a SATLANTIS company, this week. We're building an MP42 microsatellite bus for their unfolding 3m-resolution Thermal InfraRed (TIR) telescope, HIBISCUS:Such high-resolution Long-Wave Infrared (LWIR) imagery from low Earth orbit sets a new benchmark in commercial Earth observation and opens new opportunities during both day and night for:— National security Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR)— Climate resilience through urban heat monitoring— Building-level energy usage & efficiency surveys— Smart agriculture, food security, and forestry— Maritime surveillance— Insurance and more
The difference between 30m, 6m, and 3m GSD is monumental, and we are bringing this capability to market with SuperSharp.
The Blue Moon satellite we're launching with SuperSharp and @satlantis_ in Q1 of 2027 has more innovation under its belt than "just" unprecedented 2.8-meter thermal infrared (TIR) imagery:[...]Our full webinar recording is linked below, including use cases for various applications, pilot data examples, technical specifications, and more.
