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, Bryce Beisswanger, our?Mechanical Engineering Supply Chain Lead, who comes to us from Protolabs and Fathom Digital Manufacturing. Tell us about yourself?Bryce I am a hard-charging mountain biker, young dad, and sourcing specialist for all things machined. After university, I developed interfaces for advanced prosthetic devices under DARPA where iterative design and smooth surface finishes were essential. When the contract ended, I sought to work directly for the suppliers I had depended on and gain exposure to all sorts of hardware. Providing the manufacturing capabilities that could rapidly turn 3D models to physical parts has expanded well beyond additive, and I hope to drive innovation across our industry for K2 Space. What was your first memory of space? Bruce Willis blowing up the asteroid and saving humanity, wasn’t it the same for every kid in the 90’s? All jokes aside, my grandfather developed solar telescopes in the 70’s then finished with optical systems on the first Mars Rover. Pending clear skies, our family would gather for summer evenings at the end of my grandparents’ cul-de-sac in Northridge and peer through the variety of scopes. What space application are you most excited about moving forward? I am stoked about the development of new solar monitoring technologies that come from high earth orbit. Measuring data beyond our radiation belt has taught us considerably more about the Universe and how stars are formed. There’s so much left to learn about our Sun.

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, Elias Velazquez, our IT Support Analyst, who comes to us from SpinLaunch and Human-I-T.? ? Tell us about yourself Elias? ? I’m a proud dad to an amazing three-year-old. I’ve been singing since I was four and still practice every day. I also dabble in guitar and drums. I’m a huge fan of LA sports teams—Go Dodgers, Kings, and Galaxy (LA’s true soccer team!). Soccer has been a lifelong passion of mine, and I recently hung up my boots after 12 years of playing rugby.? ? What was your first memory of space?? ? I remember when my dad brought home a telescope, and we pointed it at the moon. Seeing the craters on that huge floating rock was truly awe-inspiring. I can’t wait to share that same experience with my son soon.? ? What space application are you most excited for moving forward?? ? I’m most excited about programs like NASA’s Artemis that focus on human space exploration. I think almost everyone has imagined going to space at some point, and seeing it actually happen in my lifetime is incredible. It’s amazing to think we’re taking steps toward sending people back to the Moon and beyond.?

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, Elliott Korb, our Sr. Manufacturing Engineer, who comes to us from Radiant and SpaceX. Tell us about yourself Elliott I grew up in Oklahoma, reveling in every thunderstorm that came through. I never had a strong sense of what I wanted to do when I grew up, so when I started college I asked to double major in Electrical and Mechanical Engineering - laughter might have prefaced my advisor denying me that request, but working as a Manufacturing Engineer has helped scratched that itch in my career. Outside of work I enjoy is experimenting with new baking recipes or techniques. I don’t believe any rule of thumb or ratio is too sacrosanct to not test and play with and one of my favorite quotes in this area is from Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin, “The discovery of a new dish does more for the happiness of the human race than the discovery of a star.” What was your first memory of space? My first memory of space is going out and sitting on the trampoline with my older brother to star gaze and try to spot meteorites. To this day, I can still spot Orion on a winter evening and think back to those evenings. What space application are you most excited about moving forward? I am most excited for the material science advancements. A lot of the more difficult, nuanced, and exciting challenges in space require innovations in the materials we can use and how we use them. It’s always very encouraging for me to see technology and knowledge developed in one industry be applied in various unrelated fields.

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, Jonathan Allen, our Senior Software Engineer, who comes to us from SpaceX and Q Bio.? ? Tell us about yourself Jon In college, I started out as an aerospace engineering major. It was a blast, but I wanted to dive deeper into a single subject, so I switched to the mathematics department and focused on computational science. Since graduating, I have worked on catheter tracking systems, LiDAR algorithms, autonomous vehicle controls, spacecraft simulations, and MRI reconstruction. I do a lot of road biking, primarily for commuting. On weekends, I bike with my oldest child to the nearby coffee shop. Afterwards, we stop by the Hiller Aviation Museum. He shouts, “AIRPLANE, AIRPLANE!!” whenever we get close. I have a fraternal twin brother who is also a software engineer (he’s on the right in the photo).? ? What was your first memory of space?? ? Growing up, I had an illustrated astronomy book. I have no recollection of when or where I got it, but I loved staring at all the colorful pictures of galaxies and nebulae. We also launched a lot of model rockets as kids. I remember one of them had a Death Star on top that would explode and release a parachute. Eventually, we had to stop because our house was too close to the LAX flight path. What space application are you most excited for moving forward? I’m a bit old-fashioned and love human space travel. The 2019 Apollo 11 film was incredible! My wife is worried that our kids will eventually leave us and move to Mars, so she puts a limit on how many space toys I’m allowed to buy for them.?

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, Dara Chea, our?Quality Inspector, who comes to us from Vast.? ? Tell us about yourself Dara? ? I have extensive experience in various quality roles, including receiving, precision inspection, and supplier and project quality engineering. Throughout my career, I have worked across diverse industries such as aerospace, automotive, medical, and dental manufacturing.? ? Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with my wife and children, participating in outdoor activities, supporting my kids' sports endeavors, cooking, and watching movies at home.? ? What was your first memory of space?? ? From a young age, I have always been fascinated by space and driven by a desire to reach for the stars. One of my earliest memories is from elementary school, when a classmate attended Space Camp and shared his experience with us, even bringing back astronaut ice cream. I thought it was the most exciting thing! Today, I am fortunate to have the opportunity to work on a wide range of projects related to space, embracing the unique challenges this field presents.? ? What space application are you most excited for moving forward?? ? I am excited about the future of space exploration and the innovations that will shape our journey beyond the stars. This progress begins with collecting data and developing technology to support the habitation of space and other planets. I look forward to seeing the remarkable advancements that the future holds.?

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.?