ClearSpace, Orbit Fab partner for in-space refueling service

Under a memorandum of understanding (MoU) they will work to “accelerate the availability of propellants in space by creating a refueling service architecture”. This will involve pairing an Orbit Fab fuel depot with a ClearSpace shuttle.

They will be using Orbit Fab’s RAFTI (Rapidly Attachable Fluid Transfer Interface) refueling ports and its GRIP robotic docking devices.

Space Mobility and Logistics

The companies highlight the increasing importance of refueling and Space Mobility and Logistics (SML) – basically, the challenge of replenishing spacecraft consumables. They foresee it becoming a competitive advantage for operators of commercial satellites and service vehicles.

“ClearSpace and Orbit Fab are seeing growing demand in the U.S., UK, and around the world for service vehicles and refueling as government and commercial operators seek to boost the ROI of their missions and extend operations,” said Luc Piguet, ClearSpace Co-Founder and CEO.

“Our RAFTI and GRIP refueling systems are the interfaces of choice for secure, sustainable in-space refueling operations, and our work with ClearSpace, both in the US and in the UK, is revolutionizing the capabilities that make extended satellite operations a reality,” said Orbit Fab Founder and CEO, Daniel Faber.

Refueling

The two companies have already been working together. Orbit Fab is supporting ClearSpace with the design of its CLEAR mission, for example.

Funded by the UK Space Agency, the mission involves active debris removal and enabling the service vehicle to be refueled and reused.

Clear Space, is based in Switzerland, with offices in the UK, Germany, Luxembourg and the US, and Orbit Fab is based in Lafayette, Colorado.

Image: ClearSpace – Artistic impression of the ClearSpace Servicer using an Orbit Fab payload to refuel a client satellite

See also: First active debris removal mission ClearSpace-1 gets launch contract