UK spacecraft propulsion startup Magdrive announces MoU with Orbit Fab
UK-based spacecraft propulsion startup, Magdrive, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Orbit Fab, a specialist in spacecraft refuelling. The partnership, announced at the 75th International Astronautical Congress (IAC) in Milan, aims to develop satellite refuelling technologies that promise to reshape space sustainability.
This collaboration could pave the way for longer, more ambitious missions while reducing the environmental impact and cost of launching replacement satellites.
The project has received a £1 million grant from the UK Space Agency’s National Space Innovation Programme (NSIP), supporting this forward-thinking endeavour. Magdrive, headquartered in Harwell, Oxfordshire, is known for its spacecraft propulsion systems, offering unmatched thrust and efficiency. Meanwhile, US-based Orbit Fab is an industry leader in in-space refuelling services, with a keen interest in expanding into metal propellants.
Central to the partnership is Magdrive’s SuperMagdrive thruster, the world’s first large-scale solid metal propulsion system designed to be refuelled with materials sourced from space. This breakthrough in propulsion technology could revolutionise space travel, enabling sustainable round trips to deep space by leveraging resources already present in space.
Magdrive’s high-thrust, high-efficiency propulsion systems are set to scale for larger missions, including spacecraft servicing, solar installations, and interplanetary travel. By utilising solid metal propellants, Magdrive aims to tackle the pressing challenges of sustainability in space exploration.
Mark Stokes, CEO at Magdrive, said: “This MoU with Orbit Fab is an important step towards our vision of powering more sustainable space transport. By combining our expertise in propulsion systems with their innovations in refuelling infrastructure, we’re laying the groundwork for more ambitious, efficient space missions.
“With the development of the SuperMagdrive and the ability to refuel using metal propellants sourced in space, we’re moving closer to making deep-space missions not only possible but sustainable. This is just the beginning, and we’re looking forward to seeing the impact our can make on the space industry in the future.”
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