Orbit Fab, founded in 2018, is a pioneering American startup and in-space refueling company dedicated to developing and deploying propellant and material supply chain infrastructure in space, including "Gas Stations in Space™". Orbit Fab aims to extend the lifespan and operational capabilities of satellites by providing on-orbit refueling services, utilizing its Rapidly Attachable Fluid Transfer Interface (RAFTI) and fuel depot satellites. Key partners and customers include the U.S. Space Force, Astroscale, and the UK Space Agency; they offer Hydrazine, High Test Peroxide, Green Monopropellants, Water, and Nitrogen. Associated keywords: satellite refueling, in-space services, propellant supply, space logistics, RAFTI, fuel depots.
All verified mentions of this organization in source documents.
Lockheed Martin is seeking opportunities in on-orbit logistics and is already investing in Orbit Fab.
Orbit Fab is in talks with several companies planning lunar landing missions to purchase regolith from them for donation to Breaking Ground.
Orbit Fab signed a letter of intent with Breaking Ground on 2022-07-26 to purchase lunar regolith and transfer it to a trust.
Orbit Fab is best known for developing infrastructure for satellite refueling, including an interface called RAFTI and tankers to provide propellant.
Under the agreement, Orbit Fab will purchase lunar regolith from another company and donate it to Breaking Ground to hold in trust.
The first SCOUT Vision payload launched in June 2021 on an Orbit Fab on-orbit refueling spacecraft and is currently in operation.
Scout deployed its first SSA payload, Scout-Vision, to orbit in July 2021 onboard Tanker-001 Tenzing, Orbit Fab’s satellite refueling demo spacecraft.
SCOUT's navigation capabilities are being adopted by Orbit Fab and Momentus, with considerations from additional commercial and Defense users.
Orbit Fab expects to deploy dozens of fuel tankers and shuttles in the next 5 to 10 years positioned in proximity to customer satellite constellations in low Earth orbit (LEO), GEO, and cislunar space.
Orbit Fab’s first two fuel shuttles will be commissioned in LEO in 2023.
Bidders for Tetra-5 must install refueling ports in the satellites and may use interfaces developed by Orbit Fab or by Northrop Grumman.
Under the agreement, Orbit Fab’s GEO fuel shuttle will resupply Astroscale’s fleet of LEXI Servicers with up to 1,000 kg of xenon propellant.
Orbit Fab and Astroscale U.S. Inc. have signed a commercial agreement to refuel Astroscale’s Life Extension In-Orbit (LEXI) Servicer in geostationary orbit (GEO).
Orbit Fab’s first geostationary tanker is projected to launch later 2022 or next year on a SpaceX commercial lunar lander mission.
The U.S. Air Force awarded Orbit Fab a $750,000 Small Business Innovation Research contract last year to flight-qualify the RAFTI port.
The $12,000,000 funding for Orbit Fab’s contract includes $6,000,000 from the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force and $6,000,000 from Orbit Fab’s private investors.
Orbit Fab is working with commercial and government customers to equip their satellites with RAFTI ports so the satellites can be refueled and continue operating.
Orbit Fab announced plans to move its base from San Francisco to Colorado.
Orbit Fab won a $12,000,000 deal to ensure its fueling interface works with U.S. military satellites.
Orbit Fab plans to deploy propellant tankers to serve as gas stations in space.