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.
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Orbit Fab unveiled plans for an in-orbit refueling mission in geostationary orbit in late 2022 or early 2023.
Sherpa-ES will perform a lunar swingby and return to geostationary orbit while delivering a payload for Orbit Fab.
Orbit Fab is the only announced customer for the IM-2 mission and its ride was arranged through the smallsat rideshare company GeoJump.
Spaceflight Inc. signed new launch agreements with Astrocast, Canon Electronics, Capella Space, GeoJump, HawkEye 360, Orbit Fab, Loft Orbital, NASA, NearSpace Launch Inc. / Inter-Modal Holding LLC, Portland State Aerospace Society, Space Products and Innovation (SPiN), Spacemanic, University of Toronto Aerospace Team, Xona Space Systems, and several undisclosed U.S. government organizations.
Orbit Fab will launch a propellant tanker to geostationary orbit on a SpaceX Falcon 9 lunar lander mission projected for late 2022 or early 2023.
The Orbit Fab geostationary tanker will carry more than 90.72 kg of hydrazine.
The Orbit Fab payload will reach geostationary orbit aboard a Spaceflight Sherpa-ES orbital transfer vehicle using a lunar flyby trajectory that passes around the far side of the Moon.
Orbit Fab was founded in 2018 and is based in California with plans to move to Colorado.
Orbit Fab launched its first fuel payload demonstration to a low sun-synchronous orbit in June.
Spaceflight has signed new launch agreements with Astrocast, Canon Electronics, Capella Space, GeoJump, HawkEye 360, Orbit Fab, Loft Orbital, NASA, NearSpace Launch Inc., Inter-Modal Holding LLC, Portland State Aerospace Society, Space Products and Innovation (SPiN), Spacemanic, University of Toronto Aerospace Team, Xona Space Systems, and several undisclosed U.S. government organizations.
Orbit Fab raised more than $10,000,000 in its latest funding round from vendors including Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman, bringing the company’s total funding to $17,000,000.
Orbit Fab plans to build a range of tankers and fuel shuttles in low Earth orbit, geosynchronous orbit, and cislunar space that can connect with aging satellites and distribute fuel.
Spaceflight will utilize a lunar flyby with its propulsive transfer vehicle Sherpa EScape (Sherpa-ES) to deliver a payload from GeoJump that will contain an Orbit Fab in-space fueling payload.
Orbit Fab launched its first payload, Tanker-001 Tenzing, in June on Spaceflight’s SXRS-5 mission on SpaceX’s Transporter-2.
To aid Orbit Fab in reaching GEO, Sherpa-ES will perform a lunar flyby and return to Earth targeting the final GEO altitude and inclination.
Orbit Fab is expanding beyond low Earth orbit with a ride on the GEO Pathfinder mission.
Orbit Fab’s Tanker-001 satellite was launched 2021-06-30 and serves as an example of an orbiting propellant depot.
Benchmark will debut a Halcyon system equipped with Orbit Fab’s RAFTI refueling kit aboard the SpaceX Transporter 2 rideshare mission scheduled for Friday, 2021-06-25 aboard a Falcon 9 rocket.
Benchmark partnered with Orbit Fab to launch mobile hydrogen-peroxide-based in-space refueling kits.
Benchmark will debut the first Halcyon system equipped with Orbit Fab’s RAFTI refueling kit aboard the SpaceX Transporter-2 rideshare mission scheduled for 2021-06-25 on a Falcon 9 rocket.