Enabling K2 Space’s Ambitions with the Right Tools
Building satellites isn’t just about hardware—it’s about the data that keeps them operational, reliable, and scalable. Without the right tools, teams could face delays, inefficiencies, and potential mission failures. As K2 Space scales to operate constellations of satellites, they needed a solution that could scale with their ambitions. Rather than developing an in-house solution, K2 sought a telemetry platform that was deeply integrated into their engineering DNA. That’s where Sift came in.
Building vs. Buying a Telemetry Solution
From day one, K2 Space CTO and Co-Founder Neel Kunjur, recognized the mission-critical role of telemetry in ensuring satellite performance and reliability. The team faced a fundamental decision: should they build an in-house telemetry system or leverage an external tool?
Why K2 Chose Sift
While K2 had the expertise to develop their own system, they knew focusing on core competencies was essential. As Neel put it, “We have the ability to build these tools, but we have to be selective about where we focus our energy. Sift let us solve the problems only we can solve.”
Several factors solidified Sift as the right choice:
- Familiarity with Best Practices – Many K2 engineers, including Neel, had prior experience at SpaceX using telemetry systems like Borg and Hyperion.
- Confidence in Sift’s Roadmap – Knowing Sift’s founders and their vision, K2 trusted that Sift’s platform would continue to evolve in ways that aligned with their needs.
- Feature Readiness – Sift already had the core telemetry capabilities K2 required, allowing for immediate integration without delays.
“We don’t just compare vendors—we compare them to what we could build ourselves. Sift made it an easy decision by letting us focus on solving the problems only we can solve."
How Sift Transformed K2 Space’s Engineering Workflow
Sift’s platform didn’t just replace a homegrown solution—it redefined how K2’s engineering team interacts with data.
- Universal Access to Data: By making telemetry accessible from technicians to executives, Sift eliminated bottlenecks in decision-making. Everyone at K2 could instantly access the data they needed.
- Speed to Root Cause: Previously, engineers had to manually extract telemetry data, adding unnecessary friction to debugging. Sift removed these inefficiencies, allowing engineers to focus on rapid problem resolution.
- Automated Testing & Continuous Validation: Sift seamlessly integrates into K2’s hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) testing and system simulations, providing real-time validation of spacecraft performance before launch.
- Anomaly Detection & Root Cause Analysis: K2 required strict time synchronization of multiple data sources to resolve anomalies. With Sift, engineers could quickly pinpoint root causes and make informed decisions.
“We use Sift to solve some of our most complex anomalies in test… so that we can understand the sequence of events that happened leading up to the anomaly.”
Real-World Success: Rapid Data Reviews for Space Missions
Pre-Launch Testing & Weekly Spacecraft Monitoring
Before K2’s first mission, engineers relied on Sift to review key telemetry data, ensuring everything was ready for launch. Now, they conduct weekly spacecraft monitoring sessions using standardized views in Sift.
Operational Efficiency
Sift cut data setup time from hours to minutes, allowing engineers to shift from formatting telemetry to solving real challenges.
“Sift makes it effortless to build standardized views, so our engineers can instantly compare data from one week to the next. Instead of wasting time setting up plots, they can focus on solving real problems.”
Looking Ahead: Sift’s Role in K2’s Future
As K2 transitions from one-off satellite missions to large-scale constellations, Sift will play an even greater role in:
- Automated Anomaly Detection – Ensuring real-time insights across hundreds of satellites.
- Telemetry-Driven Insights – Enabling predictive analytics to enhance performance and reliability.
- Closing the Design Loop – Using in-space telemetry to inform future spacecraft designs.
“We’re not trying to build one satellite and operate it for 15 years—we’re building hundreds and running constellations for decades. The amount of data that will be generated is enormous. Sift will be critical in making operations seamless, automatically flagging out-of-bounds telemetry, and helping us close the design loop by using real-world data to improve.”
Sift will be critical in making operations seamless, automatically flagging out-of-bounds telemetry, and helping us close the design loop by using real-world data to improve. - CTO and Co-Founder Neel Kunjur, K2 Space
The Competitive Edge: Why Observability Matters
Legacy aerospace companies face slow iteration cycles due to fragmented, inaccessible data. In contrast, K2’s observability-first approach ensures real-time decision-making, autonomous operations at scale, and rapid root-cause analysis.
“I’ve had customers come here, look at how we interact with telemetry, and say they would’ve moved 10 times faster if they had this.”
By democratizing access to telemetry, Sift acts as an engineering force multiplier, helping K2 Space innovate faster, reduce risk, and optimize performance. As the future of satellite operations unfolds, K2’s partnership with Sift ensures they remain at the forefront of the industry.
Take the Next Step with Sift
Ready to see how Sift can transform your telemetry workflows? Schedule a demo today and discover how real-time observability can enhance your operations. Contact us to get started.
