Head of People @K2 Space, ENFP, CO native turned CA urban gardener. Passionate gatherer of people.
Long Beach, CA
Joined January 2009
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Jesse Klekamp retweeted
I'm excited to share this detailed update on our Gravitas mission -- from design, to mission timeline, to what's next as we continue to successfully operate our first large, high power satellite on orbit and prepare for more launches in 2027 and beyond.
Jesse Klekamp retweeted
At K2 Space, we're Building Bigger to deploy the largest satellites ever on orbit.
Jason Willoughby, our Head of Vehicle Operations, leads the effort to take the spacecraft from integration and test through launch and into mission operations.
With Gravitas, a key focus for the K2 team has been defining how we operate the vehicle on orbit. Drawing from experience across a wide range of mission types, the team has worked to make operations more streamlined, more flexible, and less dependent on constant human intervention.
The goal is a system that can be monitored and managed with far less overhead, while pushing more capability directly onto the vehicle itself.
Jesse Klekamp retweeted
I'm excited to announce we have achieved our Tier 1 mission success criteria and have begun gathering a tremendous amount of data on how this brand new spacecraft performs.
On March 30th, 13:17:08Z, the Gravitas spacecraft separated from the SpaceX Transporter-16 stack to begin its mission as one of the highest power free-flying satellites ever launched.
Immediately after separation, the spacecraft autonomously:
- Executed detumbling maneuvers
- Established two-way communications with the ground (on our very first ground station pass)
- Deployed its 20kW solar arrays
- Slewed to a safe and stable attitude to await further ground commands
These actions alone are a testament to the incredible work of our in-house engineering, software, and GNC teams to build a robust spacecraft.
Since then, our operations team completed all initial system activations and checkouts, confirming the vehicle is in a power positive and thermally stable state with no major anomalies observed at this time.
We completed this phase of the mission ahead of schedule. Next up we will be powering up and downlinking data for all payloads aboard the Gravitas spacecraft in support of our customers and partners while continuing to put the spacecraft through its paces.
As we noted ahead of launch: The goal of this mission is to experiment and push our systems to the limit to inform future missions. I look forward to sharing more on our successes and challenges as the mission proceeds.
Video of our satellite below; link to full T-16 webcast: xitter.cf/SpaceX/status/20368739…
Jesse Klekamp retweeted
We have shipped our 20kW satellite - Gravitas - to the launch site.
Given the supply chain to operate at this power regime doesn’t exist, we had to build 85% of the satellite in-house. This includes building our own large solar arrays, high power propulsion system, large batteries, large reaction wheels and much more.
This launch will represent the first time all of these systems are test on orbit together.
Internally at @K2SpaceCo, we’ve thought about a few levels of success for this mission - we expect mission success to fall somewhere along this spectrum:
- Tier 1 (Baseline mission success): Deploy solar arrays, establish comms, operate the satellite —> we’ve now got an operational 20kW satellite on orbit
- Tier 2: Power on the payloads, activate the 20kW propulsion system —> we’re completing payload missions and have fired the highest power hall thruster ever flown on orbit
- Tier 3: Orbit raise the satellite, test performance in high radiation environments (like 2,000km) —> we’ve collected massive amounts of data on the performance of the platform in very very difficult environments
More than anything, Gravitas represents the start of an iterative journey, where we will take the data we receive from this first satellite and incorporate it into the next wave of satellites launching next year.
We’re excited to start this journey, we’ll report back as we get more data.
Thanks to Tim for covering our story on TechCrunch
techcrunch.com/2026/03/19/k2…
Jesse Klekamp retweeted
At K2 Space, we're Building Bigger to deploy the largest satellites ever on orbit.
Our Head of Software, Michael Saqr, leads the team responsible for the systems that allow our spacecraft to operate autonomously in space.
In the earliest phase of a mission, the vehicle must stabilize itself and execute critical operations without commands, and even data, from the ground. That first period of flight is critical to bringing the spacecraft into a safe, stable state and setting the foundation for the rest of the mission.
Jesse Klekamp retweeted
At K2 Space, we're Building Bigger to deploy the largest satellites ever on orbit.
Our Head of Structures and Mechanisms, Drew Miller, leads everything mechanical on the spacecraft, from the primary structure to the large deployable systems that generate the power behind the 20 kW spacecraft.
Each satellite carries two very large solar arrays designed in-house here at K2, "they are huge", generating roughly 10 kW each. Seeing them go from a stowed launch configuration to their full deployed span on orbit will be one of the most exciting moments of the mission.
Jesse Klekamp retweeted
Polaris Dawn astronaut Sarah Gillis performed the first known violin solo in space, playing "Rey's Theme," from the "Star Wars" series. The violinist shares how she prepared for the out-of-this-world moment to inspire the world.
Jesse Klekamp retweeted
Get in losers, we're going launching 💅
The FAA has given license authorization for the second launch of the @SpaceX Starship Super Heavy vehicle. The FAA determined SpaceX met all safety, environmental, policy and financial responsibility requirements.
faa.gov/space/stakeholder_en…
.@Delta flight attendant Kelsey on flight 1312 from SEA to LAX tonight is the best flight attendant I’ve had, hands down. Clone her, celebrate her, and please assign her to all my flights from here on out. ❤️
Jesse Klekamp retweeted
After 167 days in space, the longest duration mission for a U.S. spacecraft since the final Skylab mission in 1974, Dragon and the Crew-1 astronauts, @Astro_illini, @AstroVicGlover, Shannon Walker and @Astro_Soichi, returned to Earth this morning!
We still have so far to go in realizing equality for women.
Women's qualifications are less likely to be mentioned by men.
Study of 300+ intros of MD/PhD presenters:
Men introduced 72% of men as Dr. but only 49% of women as Dr.
Women introduced speakers as Dr. regardless of gender.
Respecting women shouldn't be this hard. #DrJillBiden
Jesse Klekamp retweeted
Boy you’d think a country that can equip every cop like a soldier could equip every doctor like a doctor
Jesse Klekamp retweeted
How come every cop is outfitted like an Avenger but health care professionals are out there fighting COVID wearing barrels on suspenders
Jesse Klekamp retweeted
Super exciting day coming up!
Together with @SpaceX, we will return human spaceflight to American soil after nearly a decade. May 27 is not only a big day for our teams – it’s a big day for our country.
What does our @Commercial_Crew launch mean to YOU? Share using #LaunchAmerica: go.nasa.gov/2AeqVnF
Jesse Klekamp retweeted
Crew Dragon at the Cape undergoing final preparations ahead of first flight to the @Space_Station with @NASA astronauts onboard
