K2’s plan doesn’t stop at satellite buses, however. By operating our own vehicles and manifesting regular rides to space, K2 is uniquely positioned to design, test, and deploy-at-scale ambitious optical payloads in MEO, GEO, cis-lunar, and deep space on unprecedented timelines. The satellite bus is the platform – the payloads are the mission.
There are any number of space-based optical payloads that can generate value here on Earth (ex. forest fire detection, climate and atmospheric monitoring, etc.) and further planetary science in our solar system (ex. hyper-spectral imaging, laser-altimetry) – all of which require payload-specific optics benches with spectral / spatial filters, beam-shaping optics, image scanning / stabilization mechanisms, electro-optical sensors, fiber-to-free space interfaces, etc. coupled to large aperture, diffraction-limited telescopes for collecting and transmitting optical energy from the UV to the infrared.
As an Optical Systems Engineer, you will contribute to defining how K2 designs, manufactures, tests, and deploys optics benches across K2’s optical payload suite. You will be involved in every phase of your optical system’s life cycle, from initial feasibility and architectural trade studies through manufacturing, ground testing, and on-orbit commissioning. The development timelines and manufacturing scale that we are targeting require meaningful innovation, but you will have the resources and full support of K2 to make this possible and help raise the bar for the next generation of space technology companies.