K2 Space Corporation

A lot of people associate space with their childhood - at K2 Space Corporation we hope to help make those childhood dreams a reality. We're excited to introduce the next member of our team, Jason Stellino, our Avionics Test Engineer, who comes to us from SpaceX. Tell us about yourself I started my career in avionics at SpaceX as an Apprentice Engineering Technician and ultimately worked towards becoming a Test Engineer. I spent 12 years working on power systems for Falcon 9, Dragon, and Starship. Outside of work, I enjoy staying active with home improvement projects, playing hockey, and golfing while being a devoted husband and father. What was your first memory of space? I can’t quite pinpoint my first memory of space, but I have distinct memories of watching a Space Shuttle launch in elementary school and witnessing the tragic loss of the Columbia Space Shuttle. Both were captivating and terrifying, giving me tremendous respect for the challenges of space travel. What space application are you most excited about moving forward? I am most excited about how our civilization’s increased presence in space will drive demand for capability in power, communication, and human support systems. The future of space travel is BIG! Human built systems in space are only going to get larger and more capable, and I really excited to see how that develops.

A lot of people associate space with their childhood - at K2 Space Corporation we hope to help make those childhood dreams a reality.? We're excited to introduce the next member of our team, Winson Huang, our Avionics Test Engineer, who comes to us from SpaceX. Tell us about yourself Winson I started my professional career in the space industry as a systems engineer in a prototype satellite program at SpaceX and transitioned into avionics testing as the program production ramped up. In my free time, you can find me running in various neighborhoods (I like to drive to new random spots to mix up my running route) or getting lost in museums. I am in my seventh year as a beginner golfer and am trying to get into Muay Thai and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu so I can feel safe walking alone at night. What was your first memory of space?? Growing up in Taiwan, we were more familiar with "down-to-earth" technologies, and space seemed out of reach for most people. My earliest exposure to space was at a summer astronomy camp in the 4th grade, where we learned about planets, stars, and constellations. Although not much knowledge was retained from the camp, my curiosity about space was sparked and seeded in my mind, leading me to pursue a career in this domain years later. What space application are you most excited about moving forward?? ? While interplanetary travels seem to be the coolest thing in the emerging new space economy, I am particularly interested in technologies that will help us build a safer world with the applications in earth observation, space situational awareness, and secured navigation. These services will enable us to de-risk potential conflicts and crises from within and outside of our mother planet.?

A lot of people associate space with their childhood - at K2 Space Corporation we hope to help make those childhood dreams a reality. We're excited to introduce the next member of our team, Josh Azrin, our Electrical Engineer, who comes to us from SpaceX. Tell us about yourself Josh I grew up in New York, earned my electrical engineering degree from the University of Michigan, and interned at SpaceX for two summers before joining them full-time after graduation. Growing up, I was inspired by space, curious about the nature of reality, and really into building things. In college, I joined our rocket team (MASA) to help develop avionics for a liquid bipropellant rocket. At SpaceX, I supported the development of a Starship fluid system controller from the early development stage through operation. In general, I really enjoy having a broad understanding of various vehicle subsystems and diving deep into technical problems. I am excited to continue this journey at K2 Space.? Outside of work, I like to hike, salsa dance, and do yoga! What was your first memory of space?? While I don't recall my first memory of space, my childhood bedroom was filled with astronomy books, so I must have expressed an interest early on! What space application are you most excited for moving forward? I am excited about the various space missions made possible by increased launch availability and reduced launch costs. In particular, I can’t wait for our understanding of physics and astronomy to be advanced with space science missions.

Our CEO Karan Kunjur broke the news this morning about our $110M Series B funding round on Bloomberg! The funding round, co-led by Lightspeed?and Altimeter, includes participation from existing investors Alpine Space Ventures, First Round Capital, and others. More detail here: https://lnkd.in/gDPYWuPf We're grateful for the support and excited to revolutionize satellite tech with our high-power, multi-orbit satellite platforms. Join the team!?https://lnkd.in/ggjgjZZN

A lot of people associate space with their childhood - at K2 Space Corporation we hope to help make those childhood dreams a reality. We're excited to introduce the next member of our team, D. Cole Blaney, our Avionics Systems Engineer, who comes to us from SpaceX. Tell us about yourself Cole Since I was young, I've had a passion for science, building, and space. My parents often recall the time I built a hovercraft with a leaf blower or the time I made a potato cannon (only one of which caused property damage…). Growing up in Augusta, GA, I spent most days exploring outdoors with friends, developing a love for discovery and adventure. It was no surprise that I moved to Atlanta to pursue a degree in Aerospace Engineering at Georgia Tech. My internships led me 3,000 miles away to work at SpaceX. Starting as an integration engineer building the Dragon spacecraft fleet, I later became an avionics engineer, overseeing avionics systems for Dragon missions, from ground maintenance to splashdown. After nearly 4.5 years in LA, I married my best friend, and we're raising our first son together. Although I didn't initially like the city, I've come to love it for all it is. What was your first memory of space? I vividly remember a book about our solar system that I had when I was about 4, and I was absolutely obsessed with it. At the time, it was mostly the pictures that captured my imagination, but they sparked a sense of wonder and excitement about what lies beyond our planet. My late grandfather recognized my passion for space early on, and we spent time building model rockets together. Although those models never flew, they decorated my room as a child, and I always dreamed of humans exploring the stars. What space application are you most excited for moving forward? It's very exciting to see the beginnings of a new space race and the push to go back to the moon. In just 10 years, there has been a significant shift in commercial industries developing technologies for humans to explore the solar system. I am looking forward to seeing where we will be in another 10 years. My hope is that humanity’s united motivation to explore space will lead to greater unity among the world's superpowers.?

A lot of people associate space with their childhood - at K2 Space Corporation we hope to help make those childhood dreams a reality.? ? We're excited to introduce the next member of our team, Maia Bageant, our Principal Satellite Mechanical Engineer, who comes to us from SpaceX.? ? Tell us about yourself Maia ? I grew up on the East Coast, where I was lucky enough to have parents who would buy me books and LEGOs to support my genuine love of science and engineering, and also let me run around in the woods! I went to college and graduate school at MIT, where I worked on developing machines capable of performing and sensing micro-scale manufacturing processes. I also became a student leader for skiing and climbing in the MIT Outing Club.? ? After completing my degree, I moved to the West Coast to work at SpaceX on the Falcon and Starship launch vehicles, while continuing my pursuits of mountain sports in the Sierra Nevada. When I'm not getting stoked by a fascinating engineering problem or dueling with gravity on a mountain, I enjoy working on van/car/house/garden projects, cooking, playing music, and following my curiosity in learning about the people around me and the universe we live in! What space application are you most excited for moving forward? I'm most excited for non-manned applications that can be unlocked by building on the ability to cheaply and quickly put mass into orbit.? In my lifetime I'd love to see humanity be able to acquire resources from space in a meaningful way (such as asteroid mining!) and also build out a scientific and industrial network in Earth orbit and beyond! What was your first memory of space?? ? As a kid, my favorite book was a nonfiction children's book about planetary exploration. It was filled with cool facts and theories (as of 30 years ago—I'm sure some of them have since proven incorrect) about the planets of our solar system. It also came with stickers of the Mars rovers and Viking spacecraft, which I carefully stuck onto the illustrations in the book, sending them into some pretty extreme exploration environments!?

K2 Space Corporation is thrilled to welcome Dr. John Plumb, former Assistant Secretary of Defense for Space Policy, as K2 Space's new Head of Strategy! At the Pentagon, John led crucial initiatives including the DoD's Space Strategic Review and Commercial Space Integration Strategy. His three decades of experience in military service, government leadership, and space policy will be invaluable as we continue developing high-power, multi-orbit satellite platforms that deliver exquisite capabilities at breakthrough price points. Welcome aboard! https://lnkd.in/gzG-Qch5 (DoD photo by EJ Hersom)

We signed a $60M STRATFI contract with the US Space Force to fly our first satellite in MEO. With this mission, scheduled to launch in Q1 of 2026, we'll fully de-risk the K2 bus performance in the MEO environment. This mission will represent the first step towards a proliferated MEO architecture. https://lnkd.in/d6tQb-4T

A lot of people associate space with their childhood - at K2 Space Corporation we hope to help make those childhood dreams a reality. We're excited to introduce the next member of our team, David Albert, our Senior Software Engineer, who comes to us from Recurse Center. Tell us about yourself?Dave ? I've always loved computers. In 4th grade, my teacher Ms. Fernandez organized a "20 year reunion" where everyone came in pretending to be our future selves. Unsurprisingly, I was a programmer. I studied computer engineering in college and shortly afterwards cofounded the Recurse Center, which I helped run for 13 years. I left a year ago to get back to technical work. I can't think of a cooler job than writing software that runs in space.? ? Away from the keyboard, I spend most of my time hanging out with my wife and our dog Max. The three of us watch a lot of basketball, though Max spends most of that time looking at us instead of the TV – our cheering makes him nervous. I've become very attached to our morning dog walks, where Max sniffs at trash bags, and I take photos of fun cars.? ? What was your first memory of space?? ? There are too many to know for sure. As a kid I watched Apollo 13 and The Right Stuff more times than I can count, and can still rattle off choice lines from each. I spent a ton of time at the Hayden Planetarium watching star shows and IMAX movies. I thought Sally Ride was particularly cool. I was obsessed with Star Wars, flight simulators, fighter jets, model rockets, Lego space sets, and have many fond memories of visiting the USS Intrepid. For the past 15 years, I've named my computers after the Galilean moons. My latest is Io, but my favorite is Ganymede.? ? What space application are you most excited for moving forward?? ? I want to go to space! Even 10 minutes of weightlessness would be amazing. ? ? Beyond that, it's the science that gets me excited. Exploring new worlds, searching for signs of life on Mars, learning about Europa's oceans, seeing new pictures of the planets and distant galaxies. There's so much more for us to learn.?

A lot of people associate space with their childhood - at K2 Space Corporation we hope to help make those childhood dreams a reality. We're excited to introduce the next member of our team, Leon Wells, our Manager of National Security Program Management, who comes to us from Geost, a LightRidge Solutions Company. Tell us about yourself Leon I was born in Memphis, TN, but grew up in Tucson, AZ, where I earned a B.S. in Geophysics from The University of Arizona. I started my career at a then-small Tucson startup called Geost, initially as part of a team deploying telescope systems across the globe. As the company evolved within the space industry, I led its pilot program as a Program Manager, contributing to the development and delivery of state-of-the-art optical payloads for both government and private clients. I am thrilled to be part of K2 Space and to help propel its success by applying the lessons I’ve learned throughout my career in the industry. Outside of work, I rarely sit still. My wife, Kya, and our dog, Rolo, enjoy camping, road trips, or simply soaking in the sun on a great patio for lunch. I also play several instruments—though I've yet to commit to one long enough to become a virtuoso! What is your first memory of space? When I was a child living in Memphis, the comet Hale-Bopp lingered overhead for weeks. No matter how much my sister and I resisted, our mom would take us outside every clear night, knowing we were witnessing a once-in-a-lifetime event. We’d lie on the banks of the Mississippi River, and I’d ponder just how far the comet would travel—beyond the planets and into parts of space I hadn’t yet imagined. It was then that I began to grasp the immense scale of the universe. What space application are you most excited about moving forward? While there is much to be excited about when looking outward, I’m most inspired by advancements that can improve everyday life. Real-time imaging capabilities, climate change monitoring and analysis, and other innovations that have the potential to positively impact countless lives are especially meaningful to me. That said, a mission to Mars would undeniably be thrilling!?