K2 is addressing the high costs of satellite buses, traditionally expensive due to processes that haven't evolved in years. By vertically integrating production, K2 has reduced the price of its reaction wheels from approximately $1 million to just $35,000, enabling a $15 million Mega Class satellite bus. The US Space Force has contracted K2 for its Gravitas mission set for 2026, aiming to demonstrate advanced satellite capabilities while potentially easing the economic burden on government and commercial constellation launches.
Lockheed is amazing at doing those missions with really complex requirements. But they just have not changed the way they build these larger, more complex spacecraft in the last 15 or 20 years.
K2 is now on its fourth iteration of an internally built reaction wheel and has driven the cost down to $35,000.
The biggest difference is cost. K2 aims to sell its satellite bus for $15 million.
The $60 million contract for the 'Gravitas' mission will demonstrate the ability of K2's satellite bus to host several experiments and successfully maneuver from low-Earth orbit to middle-Earth orbit.
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