Orbit Fab Wins ESA Funding to Lead "Astral" - a European Landmark In-Orbit Refuelling Mission

Bremen, Germany--(Newsfile Corp. - November 21, 2025) - Orbit Fab, the in-orbit logistics company pioneering space sustainability and developing long-term space solutions, today announced its latest milestone toward refuelling satellites in orbit. The company will deliver the Advancing Satcom Technology with Refuelling and Logistics (ASTRAL) project with a total UK funding of up to $3.8m (€3.3m). The contract for the first stage of the mission, worth £1.3m (€1.1m), has now been awarded to Orbit Fab by ESA's Advanced Research in Telecommunications Systems (ARTES) Core Competitiveness programme.

ASTRAL will perform an in-orbit experiment by 2028 to de-risk and validate Orbit Fab's RAFTI™ and GRASP refuelling interfaces in a realistic docking and propellant-transfer scenario. The mission will establish the performance of these systems in its operational environment — a crucial step in proving the viability of sustainable satellite servicing and refuelling.

Jacob Geer, Orbit Fab Managing Director of UK & Europe, said: "We are proud that Orbit Fab will lead Europe's first in-orbit test of satellite refuelling. Through the support of the ESA ARTES we are bringing together technology developed in Austria, Lithuania, the UK and beyond with our proven RAFTI interface to conduct the world's first in orbit fuelling of Xenon. Developing the European capability now is vital to extend the life of communication satellites and make defence spacecraft more manoeuvrable and resilient."

Laurent Jaffart, Director of ESA's Connectivity and Secure Communications, said: "ESA is committed to supporting a vibrant and striving telecom ecosystem in Europe while achieving a zero-debris environment in space, which includes the development of technologies for in-orbit servicing and refuelling. This milestone, which is enforced by top expertise from our colleagues at Orbit Fab and support from the UK Space Agency, builds on more than a decade in working towards a sustainable future in Earth orbit. ASTRAL — which will be an important test in the realisation of flexibility and extending mission lifetimes — is set to further strengthen the European autonomy and sovereignty that we are collectively striving for with our Member States."

Craig Brown, UKSA Director of Investments, said: "The UK Space Agency is proud to support pioneering projects such as ASTRAL that showcase the depth of talent and innovation across the UK and European space sector. In-orbit servicing and refuelling could transform the way communication satellites operate over time, so investing in these new technologies, and fostering strong European partnerships in areas such as in-orbit refuelling, we are helping to secure the UK's position as a global leader in space, driving growth, and delivering benefits for industry and society alike."

European Collaboration Driving Resilience and Space Sustainability

The ASTRAL consortium unites leading European innovators — Orbit Fab, KISPE Space Systems, Gate Space Innovation GmbH, Blackswan Space, and Indra Deimos — from the UK, Austria, Lithuania and beyond. Together, they will deliver Europe's first in-orbit refuelling experiment using Xenon, advancing the design, integration and validation of critical hardware needed to sustain and protect satellites in space. As Earth's orbit become increasingly congested and contested, ASTRAL will help strengthen Europe's strategic resilience, enabling spacecraft to manoeuvre, extend mission life, and maintain operational advantage for the continent across commercial and governmental domains.

Over the course of the mission, ASTRAL will demonstrate a complete series of in-orbit servicing operations, beginning with a mechanical docking and leak-free connection between a servicing and target spacecraft using Orbit Fab's GRASP and RAFTI™ interfaces. The mission will then transfer multiple propellants — Nitrous Oxide (N₂O), Ethane, and Xenon — through RAFTI™, proving the system's versatility and robust capacity. The mission will then attempt to safely validate docking, refuelling, rendezvous and proximity operations and safe release procedures to confirm reliable performance in a true orbital environment.

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RAFTI refuelling interface

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The consortium and supporting Agencies (ESA, UKSA, Orbit Fab, Gate Space, Indra Deimos, Blackswan Space and KISPE) involved in the ASTRAL mission.

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Director of ESA's Connectivity and Secure Communications Laurent Jaffar, Orbit Fab Managing Director Jacob Geer and UK Space Agency Director of Investments Craig Brown after signing the ESA contract.

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About ASTRAL

ASTRAL (Advance Satcom Technology with Refuelling and Logistics) is a multi-purpose activity co-funded through ESA's ARTES programme. The UK Space Agency and national delegations from Lithuania, Austria and other nations support the mission due to its importance to their national space strategies and potential commercial benefit. The mission will mature the hardware and operational procedures required for in-orbit spacecraft refuelling, targeting completion by 2028.

About Orbit Fab

Orbit Fab is building the infrastructure for a sustainable and secure space economy by pioneering on-orbit satellite refuelling. With its RAFTI™ refuelling ports and a network of space-based fuel depots, Orbit Fab enables reusable satellites and long-duration missions for commercial, scientific, and defence applications. Orbit Fab is headquartered in Colorado, USA, and the UK subsidiary has operated since 2022.

Orbit Fab has already achieved several industrial firsts, including resupplying the International Space Station, developing the only commercially available refuelling valve approved by the US Space Force, and securing technology flight opportunities on multiple upcoming missions over the next several years. These milestones underscore Orbit Fab's ability in advancing a reusable, resilient, and sustainable orbital economy.

The RAFTI™ (Rapidly Attachable Fluid Transfer Interface) is the space industry-standard satellite refuelling interface. RAFTI is an open-license cooperative docking and refuelling interface that replaces every satellite's fill and drain valve to enable on-orbit and ground refuelling.

About ESA's ARTES Core Competitiveness programme

The European Space Agency (ESA) is Europe's gateway to space, coordinating the financial and intellectual resources of its Member States to conduct space programmes and activities. The Core Competitiveness programme line of ESA's Advanced Research in Telecommunications Systems (ARTES) provides funding and multi-disciplinary expertise to enhance competitiveness in satellite communications. It supports specific activities carried out by SMEs, large industrial consortia and research organisations aimed at developing innovative products and services that strengthen Europe and Canada's position as global leaders in the satcom market. Through its two components, ARTES Advanced Technology and ARTES Competitiveness and Growth, this programme enables organisations to transform promising concepts into market-ready solutions, covering the entire development cycle.

Learn more at https://connectivity.esa.int/core-competitiveness

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