Pale Blue Inc., founded in 2020 as a spin-off from the University of Tokyo, is a space-tech company that develops and manufactures water-based propulsion systems for small satellites, ranging from CubeSats to microsats. Their innovative and sustainable thrusters use water as a propellant, offering a safer and more accessible alternative to traditional chemical propellants, for in-space mobility, orbit control and debris mitigation. Pale Blue partners with satellite manufacturers and operators globally and has performed multiple in-orbit demonstrations of its technology. Key products include water ion thrusters and resistojet thrusters.
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Pale Blue raised $7,500,000 to establish a mass production facility for its water vapor propulsion systems.
Pale Blue aims to launch mass production within a few years while still deciding on the facility location and production capacity.
Pale Blue raised $4,100,000 in a Series A round in 2021.
Pale Blue will expand its business through collaboration with Yonsei University by strengthening partnerships in Asia and providing water-based propulsion systems to the global market.
The Resistojet propulsion system provided by Pale Blue is 0.5U-sized and uses water vapor as propellant.
Pale Blue was awarded a contract by Yonsei University to provide a Resistojet (0.5U-sized water vapor) propulsion system for a pair of 6U satellites.
Pale Blue plans to establish mass production of Resistojet thrusters to reduce cost and lead time for potential customers in the United States, Europe, and Asia.
Through collaboration with Yonsei University, Pale Blue will expand its business by strengthening partnerships in Asia.
Pale Blue was awarded a contract with Yonsei University in South Korea to provide a Resistojet 0.5U water-vapor propulsion system for a pair of 6U satellites.
Pale Blue plans to create mobility capabilities that are core to the space industry while providing water-based propulsion systems to the global market.
On 2023-08-07, Pale Blue secured a contract to supply water vapor thrusters to Yonsei University in South Korea.
Pale Blue’s Ion Hall-effect thruster is likely to reach orbit for the first time in 2024 or 2025.
Pale Blue’s water-based propulsion system aboard EYE was launched by SpaceX on 2023-01-03.
Pale Blue developed and operated a water-based thruster capable of producing 5.6 mN of thrust in typical ground testing.
Analysis of the data obtained during the 2023-03-03 operation indicated successful thrust from Pale Blue’s propulsion system.
Pale Blue’s water-based propulsion system aboard EYE was launched by SpaceX on 2023-01-03.