Orbital
Los Angeles startup pursuing solar-powered AI inference infrastructure in low Earth orbit, with Orbital-1 targeted for 2028
The product
Orbital is developing satellites that collect solar power in orbit and host GPU compute for AI workloads served back to Earth. The first planned node, Orbital-1, is described as a purpose-built spacecraft with multiple GPU nodes, high-bandwidth ground links, and commercial inference availability.
The thesis
Terrestrial AI data-center expansion is increasingly limited by grid interconnection, power generation, water, permits, and community opposition. Orbital's thesis is that space offers abundant solar energy and a new location for selected compute workloads, though launch, thermal rejection, radiation, networking, maintenance, and orbital externalities remain major constraints.
How it runs
Early-stage space-infrastructure developer based in Los Angeles. Orbital leads the compute-payload and constellation architecture, while Reflex Aerospace has been selected to lead the satellite-bus design and supply the platform exclusively for Orbital's orbital-compute applications.
How it earns
The intended model is commercial AI-inference capacity sold from orbit, likely as compute services or reserved capacity. No customer contracts, pricing, utilization assumptions, launch costs, or unit economics are publicly disclosed, so commercial viability remains unproven.
Why it wins
A focused orbital-compute architecture, a team drawn from major satellite and aerospace programs, backing from a16z Speedrun and other investors, NVIDIA Inception participation, and an exclusive spacecraft-platform development relationship with Reflex Aerospace.
Evidence ledger
- website · 2026-09-04
Orbital identifies as a reindustrialization company.
https://orbital.inc - official · 2026-09-19
Confirms company identity, Los Angeles team, solar-powered orbital-compute thesis, investors, Orbital-1 description, and stated 2028 timeline.
https://orbital.inc/ - official · 2026-09-19
Confirms the September 2026 development agreement under which Reflex will lead Orbital-1 satellite-bus design and provide the platform exclusively for Orbital's compute applications.
https://www.reflexaerospace.com/press-releases/orbital-selects-reflex-as-exclusive-satellite-platform-partner-space-data-center-constellation - authoritative_media · 2026-09-19
Corroborates the Reflex partnership and identifies Orbital-1 as the first satellite in a proposed constellation of up to 100,000 nodes.
https://payloadspace.com/orbital-partners-with-reflex-aerospace-on-odc-platform/ - linkedin · 2026-09-19
Confirms the supplied organization identity and defense-and-space-manufacturing classification.
https://www.linkedin.com/company/orbitaldotinc
Articles, news, and updates
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