--- title: "UK's NewOrbit raises $18.5M to commercialise very low orbit" url: https://daily.dev/posts/uk-s-neworbit-raises-18-5m-to-commercialise-very-low-orbit-fvr1xqyxf source_url: https://thenextweb.com/news/neworbit-vleo-satellite-series-a-european-space type: article source: "The Next Web" published: 2026-06-08T09:14:33.642Z updated: 2026-06-08T09:14:54.871Z tags: ["space-technology"] reading_time: 4 upvotes: 0 comments: 0 language: en --- > ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://daily.dev/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # UK's NewOrbit raises $18.5M to commercialise very low orbit **[The Next Web](https://daily.dev/sources/tnw)** · 4 min read · 0 upvotes · 0 comments ## Summary UK startup NewOrbit has raised an oversubscribed $18.5M Series A to build the first commercial satellite for very low Earth orbit (VLEO), operating at 200-300km altitude. This band has been commercially unused for 60 years due to atmospheric drag, corrosive atomic oxygen, and aerodynamic instability. NewOrbit claims its purpose-built NEO-1 satellite can survive these conditions for up to five years using an in-house propulsion system. The company promises 20x cost reduction versus conventional satellites, higher-resolution imagery, and potential 5G direct-to-device connectivity from space. Funds will build a production facility opening in 2027, with the first commercial launch planned for 2028. Competitors like Univity are also targeting VLEO, but no commercial satellite has yet operated below 300km. ## Full article daily.dev links to this article rather than hosting it. Read it at the original source: ## Similar posts on daily.dev - [Skimming Satellites: On The Edge Of The Atmosphere](https://daily.dev/posts/skimming-satellites-on-the-edge-of-the-atmosphere-lcogjfjxc) · Hackaday · 0 upvotes · 0 comments - [Clarity-1: What Worked, and Where We Go Next](https://daily.dev/posts/clarity-1-what-worked-and-where-we-go-next-pwexfbrws) · Hacker News · 0 upvotes · 0 comments - [French satellite startup Univity raises €27M Series A](https://daily.dev/posts/french-satellite-startup-univity-raises-27m-series-a-gs6vlryar) · The Next Web · 0 upvotes · 0 comments - [ReOrbit lands record funding to take on Musk’s Starlink from Europe](https://daily.dev/posts/reorbit-lands-record-funding-to-take-on-musk-s-starlink-from-europe-yqvdtwnr2) · TechCrunch · 1 upvotes · 0 comments --- Tags: [#space-technology](https://daily.dev/tags/space-technology) [View this post on daily.dev](https://daily.dev/posts/uk-s-neworbit-raises-18-5m-to-commercialise-very-low-orbit-fvr1xqyxf)