Michigan awards KMI Space $3.5M for Laelaps spacecraft development
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Michigan awarded KMI Space $3.5 million to finalize development, design and operations for its Laelaps spacecraft, the governor’s office announced October 14. The Marquette company—founded as Kall Morris Incorporated—is developing a vehicle intended to rendezvous with, retrieve and relocate satellites in orbit.
The state award is part of a broader $23 million Make it in Michigan Competitiveness Fund package covering nine projects. Michigan says KMI Space’s project also leverages $34 million from SpaceWERX’s Strategic Funding Increase program, and the company estimates that the work will create 60 additional jobs at its Marquette facility.
The figures describe separate public funding commitments, not a $37.5 million venture round. The job count is an estimate, and the announcement does not establish that Laelaps has completed an orbital mission. The milestones to watch are spacecraft development, testing and demonstrated in-space operations.