South Korean space-tech startup Space&Bean wants to make small-satellite hardware a whole lot cheaper—and it’s taking a decidedly engineering-first approach to get there. The company has developed a space-grade enclosure system that allows commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) electronic components to reliably survive the brutal conditions of orbit.
Think of it less like a protective box and more like a miniaturized, simulation-driven survival chamber. The enclosure is engineered through integrated thermal, structural, and radiation analyses, meaning every design decision is optimized to help conventional electronics endure extreme temperatures, mechanical loads, and radiation exposure that typically require far pricier space-qualified components.
If it works at scale, Space&Bean’s platform could give satellite developers a way to swap expensive space-grade electronics for cheaper COTS parts, cutting not only hardware costs but also development cycles and payload weight—three things smallsat teams are constantly fighting.
The startup has already begun proving it outside its home market. Space&Bean recently completed a technology validation project with a space component developer in Denver, putting its enclosure system through early testing pipelines. According to the company, the results showed that COTS components housed in its enclosure performed with stability levels comparable to traditional space-grade solutions.
The U.S. industry seems to be paying attention. During recent meetings in Silicon Valley with satellite manufacturers, component suppliers, and emerging space players, the company says interest was “strong and immediate,” reflecting a broader trend: the American space sector is aggressively exploring COTS-based architectures to reduce build costs for constellation-scale missions.
As the push toward lower-cost, higher-volume satellite production accelerates, technologies that boost COTS reliability are becoming a hot commodity. That’s especially true for startups building constellations in LEO and MEO, where radiation exposure and thermal cycling remain major design pain points.
Space&Bean positions its enclosure not as a one-size-fits-all shield but as a customizable engineering stack that can be tuned to mission requirements—thermal loads, orbital profile, and expected lifespan. That flexibility could help the company stand out in a market dominated either by premium aerospace suppliers or low-end protective housings that don’t meaningfully extend component survivability.
With validation underway and U.S. conversations expanding, Space&Bean is now preparing for additional pilot collaborations and deeper integration testing. The company believes its approach can become a cost-saving lever for next-generation small satellite missions, especially as commercial operators increasingly look beyond traditional space-grade parts.
Whether Space&Bean becomes a staple of the NewSpace supply chain remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: as COTS adoption accelerates, engineering-driven reliability solutions like this are set to become critical—if not unavoidable—for the next wave of satellite builders.
Media Contact
Company Name: Space&Bean
Contact Person: JI-Seon Lee
Email: Send Email
Country: South Korea
Website: https://www.spacenbean.com/scutumr
