NewOrbit
UK spacetech company developing satellites for 200–300 km orbits, with applications in imaging, telecommunications and space data.
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Podcast Episode
🎙️ Deep Dive
PhysicsX, Bending Spoons, NewOrbit — $300M industrial AI, Nasdaq IPO and VLEO satellites — Daily News June 8, 2026
Listen to the episodeAbout NewOrbit
NewOrbit is a Reading-based spacetech company building satellites for very low Earth orbit, a band between 200 and 300 km above Earth. The €16M Series A will fund development of the NEO Production Complex and the first commercial satellite launch in 2028. The thesis is that very low orbits can offer better imagery, lower costs and new possibilities for connectivity and earth observation.
The Story
Founded in May 2021; Anatolii Papulov is CEO and co-founder.
How NewOrbit works
Business Model
B2B/B2G spacetech infrastructure for customers seeking payloads and services in very low Earth orbit.
Revenue Model
Not verified; likely satellite sales or deployment, payload missions, commercial partnerships and government contracts.
Products & Services
Key Products
- NEO-1 satellite
- VLEO satellite platform
- In-house propulsion system
- NEO Production Complex
Core Use Cases
- Earth observation
- Telecommunications
- 5G direct-to-device
- Live HD video from orbit
- Weather and space data
Market & Clients
Key Customers
Commercial and government customers seeking satellite payloads or services in very low Earth orbit; specific customers not disclosed.
Geographic Presence
How NewOrbit competes
Competitors
Competitive Advantages
- Purpose-engineered satellites for VLEO
- In-house propulsion system
- Team with SpaceX, NASA, Tesla and Airbus experience
- Potential for better imagery and lower cost due to lower orbit
How NewOrbit grows
Growth Strategy
Build NEO Production Complex in 2027 and launch first commercial satellite carrying customer payloads in 2028.
Distribution Model
B2B/B2G satellite infrastructure and payload services.
Moat (Defensibility)
VLEO propulsion and satellite engineering, orbital environment know-how, production capability and specialised team experience.
Regulatory Context
Relevant to space licensing, satellite communications, orbital debris, spectrum regulation and government space procurement.
Key Risks
- Technical risk of operating in hostile VLEO environment
- Launch and manufacturing execution risk
- Long commercial adoption cycles
- Competition from established LEO infrastructure
- Capital intensity of spacetech
Strategic Insights
- The new space competition is also about orbital geometry, not only launch cost.
- VLEO can create advantages in resolution, latency and signal quality.
- European spacetech is maturing toward specialised and industrialisable infrastructure.
Funding & Investors
Funding Rounds
- 2026 - Series A: €16M / $18.5M
Lead: Voyager Ventures
Key Investors
Founding Team
Founders
Key Executives
- Anatolii Papulov - CEO
Key Metrics
Lessons from NewOrbit
- A hard market becomes interesting when you solve physical constraints others considered structural.
- In space deeptech, credible team and advisory board are part of the market signal.
- Infrastructure becomes venture-backable when linked to concrete commercial use cases.
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