Neworbit has Raised $18.5 Million to Open Earth’s Last Empty Orbit

Neworbit, engineering earth's lowest orbiting satellites, led by Anatolii Papulov and Ruslan Rakhimov, has raised $18.5 million in an oversubscribed Series A, led by Voyager and joined by angel investors including David Kirk (former Chief Scientist at NVIDIA) and Lawrence Leuschner (co-founder and former CEO of TIER Mobility), the family office Custos, and continued backing from Atlantic.vc, Lifeline Ventures, LGF, and Illusian.

Commercial aircraft fly at around 10 kilometers, while most satellites operate above 500 kilometers. Between them lies very low Earth orbit (VLEO), a region that has long been inaccessible due to atmospheric drag.

New technologies are now making sustained operations in VLEO possible, opening a new frontier for commercial space missions.

Solving the Challenges of Very Low Earth Orbit.

Very low Earth orbit has remained largely unused because spacecraft must overcome three major challenges: atmospheric drag that rapidly deorbits satellites, atomic oxygen that damages spacecraft surfaces, and aerodynamic forces that disrupt stability and control.

The company says its NEO-1 satellite is specifically designed to address all three, combining specialized spacecraft engineering with a proprietary propulsion system to enable sustained operations in VLEO for up to five years.

“For sixty years, VLEO has been treated as too hostile for commercial satellites. It is in fact the most valuable empty real estate in space,” said Anatolii Papulov.

Why Very Low Earth Orbit Matters.

Operating in very low Earth orbit brings satellites much closer to Earth, enabling capabilities that are difficult or impossible from higher orbits. According to the company, satellites at 200–300 kilometers could deliver ultra-high-resolution imagery, direct-to-phone 5G connectivity without specialized hardware, and support advanced applications such as space-based LiDAR and live HD video.

The company argues that VLEO is not just an incremental improvement in performance, but an entirely new operating environment that unlocks capabilities beyond the reach of conventional satellite orbits.

Strengthening Leadership And Industry Expertise.

NewOrbit has appointed Jean-Jacques Dordain to its advisory board. Dordain led the European Space Agency from 2003 to 2015 and is widely recognized as one of the key figures in the development of Europe's space sector.

He joins an advisory board that already includes Sir Chris Deverell, adding further expertise in both space and national security as NewOrbit advances its very low Earth orbit ambitions.

Endorsement For A New Space Category.

Jean-Jacques Dordain described very low Earth orbit as one of the last major untapped commercial opportunities in space, noting that success in the region requires both advanced engineering and disciplined execution.

He also highlighted the significance of NewOrbit helping define this emerging category from the UK, positioning the company as part of a broader effort to strengthen Europe's role in next-generation space infrastructure.

VLEO As Future Space Infrastructure.

Sir Chris Deverell believes very low Earth orbit will become an important layer of future space infrastructure, supporting both commercial applications and national security missions.

He also emphasized the strategic importance of developing this capability in the UK, positioning the country to play a leading role in next-generation space technologies.

Building Europe’s First VLEO Infrastructure Platform.

The funding will support construction of the NEO Production Complex, scheduled to open in 2027. The facility will integrate NewOrbit’s first commercial satellite mission ahead of a planned 2028 launch, which the company says will be the first commercial payload deployment into the 200–300 km very low Earth orbit range.

The complex is designed to scale production from a handful of satellites per year to multiple satellites per week. At full capacity, NewOrbit expects it to become Europe’s largest dedicated VLEO manufacturing facility and a key component of the continent’s sovereign space infrastructure.

By making sustained operations in very low Earth orbit commercially viable, the company aims to open an entirely new orbital layer for communications, Earth observation, and security applications, helping establish a European-led presence in this emerging domain.