Orbit Fab aims to build a refueling station in space. The company already operates a propellant depot in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) branded as the world’s first “Gas Stations in Space™”. The vehicle(s) carry fuel for satellites that require refueling. Some spacecraft/satellites may need more fuel to reach their designated altitudes or for long-duration space voyages. Extending the life of a vehicle in space by equipping it with on-orbit refueling capability is a good approach to build a sustainable space exploration era.
On September 24, Orbit Fab announced that it will soon launch a propellant tanker to Geostationary Orbit (GEO) that is designed to fuel larger satellites and spacecraft. “The company's second tanker will establish flight heritage on all the elements of the company's tanker technology, which has been designed for the harshest orbital regimes and for refueling the largest space assets,” company representatives shared in a press release. The image below is a depiction of the propellant tanker. It will launch aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket set to transport NASA payload to the Moon’s surface sometime in 2022/2023. Orbit Fab's propellant tanker will ride as a secondary payload, alongside Intuitive Machines IM-2 lunar lander mission. Falcon 9 will drop off Orbit Fab’s propellant tanker in its designated orbit before arriving to the moon.
Orbit Fab offers installation of the Rapidly Attachable Fluid Transfer Interface (RAFTI) which is a valve device and docking port adapter that enables orbital refueling from the company’s fueling station. “Our robust RAFTI system was designed to refuel large U.S. Department of Defense, Intelligence Community, and commercial assets in geostationary orbit, so commencing operations in this orbit will be an important milestone for us,” Orbit Fab Chief Executive Officer Daniel Faber stated. “This GEO tanker will have the capability to store propellant for up to 15 years, though of course we provide the fuel that satellites need, where and when they need it.”
"This is the first tanker in this orbit, and Spaceflight has come up with a new way to get us there efficiently. Hydrazine fuel will be available for delivery as soon as it arrives, though we intend to take some time to demonstrate our long-term storage technology,” said James Bultitude, Orbit Fab's Chief Engineer. “When it's not making a fuel delivery, we will be parking our tanker a few hundred kilometers away from the geostationary belt so as not to clutter up the orbit.”
All Featured Images Source: Orbit Fab
About the Author
Evelyn Arevalo
Evelyn J. Arevalo joined Tesmanian in 2019 to cover news as a Space Journalist and SpaceX Starbase Texas Correspondent. Evelyn is specialized in rocketry and space exploration. The main topics she covers are SpaceX and NASA.
