UK Pioneers Space Refuelling with £2m for ’s Innovative Technologies
Summary
Orbit Fab also announces the expansion of its UK team Funding development includes a groundbreaking world-first project to use environmentally friendly propellants for satellite-to-satellite refuellingThe UK Space Agency has awarded Orbit Fab a \xa31.3 million Major Project grant under their National Space Innovation Programme.This grant will fund the design of a high-pressure variant of the RAFTI (Rapidly Attachable Fuel Transfer Interface) refuelling port, set to be available in 2025.This new variant will enable refuelling with pressurised fuels such as Xenon, promoting more sustainable space operations reducing the need for single-use satellites.Alongside the UK Space Agency funding announcement, Orbit Fab has secured additional contracts including \xa3165,000 with the European Space Agency (ESA) via City University London, and a \xa3500,000 contract as the prime for the phase 1 design of a mission to refuel a future UK Active Debris Removal spacecraft.The UKRefuel mission, in collaboration with industry partners ClearSpace and Astroscale aims to launch a satellite refuelling service to Low Earth Orbit by 2027. These initiatives, following Orbit Fabs signing of the ESA Zero Debris Charter, underscore the companys dedication to sustainable space practice and responsible refuelling.Daniel Faber, CEO and Co-Founder of Orbit Fab comments: Expanding our UK office and embarking on these new projects is a significant milestone for Orbit Fab. The projects led by our UK team will enable us to refuel more satellites and customers than ever before. Orbit Fab are collaborating with Magdrive on a replaceable solid-fuel cartridge for Magdrives propulsion system and with Lunasa on sensors for safe rendezvous and proximity operations in orbit.Following a year of extraordinary growth, Orbit Fab has tripled the size of its UK workforce to 15 and will be opening a new office in Harwell, Oxfordshire. This expansion will continue to support the development and operation of orbital refuelling services, essential for national security, telecommunications, earth observation, and scientific missions in space.