NewOrbit Space

NewOrbit Space is a UK-based space technology startup founded in 2021 by Anatolii Papulov and Ruslan Rakhimov, headquartered in Reading, Berkshire. The company develops satellites specifically engineered for very-low Earth orbit (VLEO) at altitudes of 200-300 kilometres, an orbital band left largely unexploited for six decades because of aerodynamic drag and atomic-oxygen degradation.

Operating at roughly one-third the altitude of conventional satellites, NewOrbit's platforms deliver dramatically higher ground resolution for Earth observation, lower-latency communications, and reduced manufacturing and launch costs compared to traditional LEO systems. To survive the harsh VLEO environment, the company is developing proprietary air-breathing electric propulsion based on gridded ion thrusters (the AURA/AURA-X propulsion system), radiation-tolerant electronics, thermal management systems, and novel atomic-oxygen-resistant structural materials designed to sustain operations for up to five years.

The company's flagship spacecraft, NEO-1, is designed to carry Earth observation, telecommunications, GNSS, and RF payloads, and supports use cases spanning high-resolution imagery, low-power synthetic aperture radar, direct-to-device 5G-equivalent connectivity, atmospheric and weather science, and RF/signals intelligence. Rapid deorbiting is built into the design, so decommissioned satellites reenter within about a month, supporting space sustainability goals.

In June 2026, NewOrbit raised an $18.5 million Series A round led by Voyager Ventures, with participation from Atlantic VC, Lifeline Ventures, and other investors, to advance development toward a first demonstration mission targeted for 2028. The company is advised by senior space industry figures including former ESA Director General Jean-Jacques Dordain and former NASA JPL Fellow Dr. Dan M. Goebel.