On Sept. 28, 2026, satellite communications developer Meridian Space announced its spin-out from kinetic launch provider SpinLaunch to operate as an independent commercial space company.
Led by Chief Executive Officer Massimiliano Ladovaz, who has managed SpinLaunch’s satellite development unit since 2020, the standalone entity is advancing a plan to build and deploy a low Earth orbit constellation comprising more than 250 communications satellites.
Reflect-Array Hardware Specs and Constellation Architecture
The core technical foundation of Meridian Space centers on proprietary reflect-array antenna assemblies engineered to lower power consumption across satellite payloads.
By reducing thermal dissipation and power draw relative to traditional phased-array systems, the reflect-array architecture allows spacecraft engineers to manufacture flat, lightweight satellite buses with reduced mass profiles. The physical footprint enables high-density fairing packing, allowing Meridian Space to launch up to 250 satellites aboard a single heavy-lift launch vehicle.
Small satellite manufacturer NanoAvionics has been contracted to build the initial batch of satellite buses, integrating Meridian’s reflect-array communications payloads into standardized satellite structures.
Commercial Strategy and Corporate Realignment
Meridian Space is targeting sovereign governments, regional satellite operators, and telecommunications companies, marketing turnkey satellite communications networks—encompassing spacecraft manufacturing, launch procurement, and ground segment integration—for under $1 billion.
Parallel to the satellite Express program, which aims to deploy operational payloads on standard cubesat buses by 2027, the spin-out allows SpinLaunch to focus its internal research and manufacturing resources on core kinetic acceleration hardware, suborbital hypersonics testing under Project Golden Dome, and lunar surface mass-driver applications.
Orbital Demonstration Flight and Operational Schedule
The initial spaceflight demonstration of Meridian Space’s reflect-array communications technology is scheduled to launch no earlier than Oct. 1, 2026, aboard SpaceX’s Transporter-18 rideshare mission. Telemetry gathered during the demonstration flight will validate antenna gain performance and bus power management ahead of serial production runs for the planned 250-satellite constellation.
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