The UK Space Agency has dedicated a £1m grant to pioneering efforts in satellite refuelling.
- Magdrive and Orbit Fab are leading the charge with a crucial partnership.
- The project focuses on sustainable space travel with reusable metal propellants.
- It seeks to revolutionize propulsion technology using in-space resources.
- This initiative is a step towards making ambitious space missions economically viable.
The UK Space Agency’s recent commitment of a £1m grant marks a significant investment towards enhancing satellite refuelling capabilities. This initiative is poised to bolster the sustainability and ambition of space technology, focusing particularly on the work of space tech entities, Magdrive and Orbit Fab.
Magdrive and Orbit Fab have entered into a memorandum of understanding which outlines a collaborative approach to fostering advancements in satellite propulsion systems. This partnership is strategically founded on Magdrive’s SuperMagdrive thruster—a solid metal propulsion system designed to be refuelled in space using metal found beyond Earth’s confines. This move is expected to set a new standard in making space travel more sustainable and cost-effective.
Mark Stokes, the CEO of Magdrive, emphasizes that this partnership with Orbit Fab is pivotal. By merging their expertise in propulsion systems with Orbit Fab’s innovations in refuelling infrastructure, the groundwork is being laid for missions that are more efficient and environmentally friendly. ‘This MoU with Orbit Fab is an important step towards our vision of powering more sustainable space transport,’ states Stokes, reflecting the ambitious outlook for the space sector.
The financial backing from the UK Space Agency emerges from its National Space Innovation Programme (NSIP), a scheme designed to energize technological advancements within the field. With Magdrive being based in Oxfordshire and Orbit Fab hailing from the United States, this collaboration signifies a notable international cooperation in space innovation.
At the core of this initiative is Magdrive’s development of the SuperMagdrive technology, capable of utilizing metal propellants sourced directly from space. This innovation promises to edge closer to realizing sustainable deep-space missions, facilitating exploration with reduced reliance on Earth-bound resources. Stokes adds that the initiative marks merely the inception of profound changes anticipated in the space industry.
The announcement of this agreement coincided with the 75th International Astronautical Congress held in Milan, underscoring the project’s international relevance and importance.
This collaborative venture stands as a pioneering step towards sustainable and economical space exploration.
