Kinetic space launch startup SpinLaunch has announced the closure of a $30 million funding round to support the development and commercialization of Meridian Space, its own low-Earth orbit satellite broadband constellation.

The company expects to deliver its first customer link in the second half of 2026 on the way to market entry.

SpinLaunch has already completed testing of its in-house multi-band reflectarray antenna, developed to further save costs on the Meridian constellation, prioritizing lower form factor, energy efficiency, and scalability.

“Validating our reconfigurable reflectarray antenna through full-scale testing confirms we can deliver multi-band capability without the cost and complexity of traditional designs,” said David Wrenn, chief innovation officer at the company in a statement. “This is a critical step toward the development of the Meridian Space constellation and achieving both our technical and operational objectives.”

Kinetic Launch

Long Beach, California-based SpinLaunch made a name for itself as a proven electrically powered kinetic satellite launch service which throws small satellites into orbit at speeds of up to 5,000mph, is thought to have difficulty spinning and releasing many satellite designs without breaking them.

In developing its own satellite, SpinLaunch can design around its own kinetic launch requirements, offering a constellation that doesn’t require rockets, kerosene, or spaceports, eliminating the biggest financial and logistical barrier in the satellite sector.

The funding includes new capital from their existing investors, including lead financier ATW Partners, and Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace.

“We chose to partner with SpinLaunch because we saw a bold vision backed by a uniquely capable team,” said Eirik Lie, president of Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace, in a statement. “This investment reflects our shared belief in their ability to deliver a new model for satellite communications through the Meridian Space constellation. SpinLaunch is building a platform with global relevance – and we’re proud to support them as they move from technical validation to commercial momentum.”

Founded in 2014, the company announced a $12m investment from Kongsberg Defence and Aerospace earlier this year. SpinLaunch previously announced a $71m Series B round in September 2022 and, at the time, said it had raised $150m to date.

The company currently has a test accelerator in Spaceport America in New Mexico. It also plans to develop a second launch platform on Adak Island, Alaska. The firm's satellite fleet will comprise more than 250 70kg microsatellites that, at full network build-out, will be able to offer “dozens of terabits per second of global capacity,” according to the company.