Satellite electric propulsion
Arabsat orders all-electric Airbus satellite
Commercial fleet operator Arabsat of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia announced Aug. 18 it ordered a geostationary communications satellite from Airbus Defence and Space.
Accion Systems raises $11 million Series B for space propulsion
Space propulsion startup Accion Systems has raised $11 million in a new round of funding designed to allow the company to increase production of its electric thrusters for smallsats.
Electric-propulsion startup Orbion raises $9.2 million Series A
Orbion aims to eventually build and ship thrusters in six to eight days from receiving an order.
Electric thrusters changed attitude of University Würzburg cubesat
The University Würzburg announced at the Small Satellite Conference that onboard electric thrusters changed the attitude of a cubesat, a first for a satellite of this size.
Apollo Fusion obtains Hall thruster technology from JPL
Satellite electric propulsion startup Apollo Fusion is expanding its product line through an agreement with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, giving it access to advanced Hall thruster technology.
FIRST UP Satcom | Facebook, Viasat join forces on rural internet • Exotrail wins 1.55M euros • Es’hailSat to host BridgeSat lasercomm station
Facebook and Viasat are collaborating first in Mexico, but are open to expanding globally, Viasat said.
Phase Four wins orders for smallsat electric thrusters
Phase Four, a startup developing electric propulsion systems for small satellites, has won its first major orders for those thrusters from two companies.
French space startup raises $4.1 million to develop smallsat electric thruster technology, software
French space startup Exotrail has secured $4.1 million in funding to develop its electric thruster technology and software for smallsats.
Electric propulsion to send smallsats from LEO to GEO orbit, moon
In an effort to cut launch costs, companies are looking to technology to transport small satellites from low Earth orbit to geostationary orbit and to the moon.
Electric satellite propulsion company raises $10 million
A Silicon Valley startup developing electric propulsion systems for satellites has raised $10 million and added the billionaire founder of LinkedIn to its board.
Phase Four wins NASA and commercial deals for electric propulsion system
Phase Four, a company developing an advanced electric propulsion system for use on cubesats and larger spacecraft, announced sales of its thrusters to NASA and Astro Digital May 24.
Smallsats driving innovation in propulsion technologies
Technological advances have opened up a wide range of propulsion options for satellites, but companies developing those systems don’t expect a single approach to become dominant.
Largest all-electric satellite to date completes orbit-raising in record time
Eutelsat’s newest satellite reached its target position in the geostationary orbit this week only four months after its launch, setting an industry record for the fastest all electric orbit-raising.
All-electric satellites halfway to becoming half of all satellites
Satellite manufacturers are trying to figure out how to maximize their share of the electric propulsion market while not abandoning more conservative customers.
Snecma prepares for Airbus, Thales satellite electric thruster orders
Safran of France's Snecma division expects to sell 350 satellite electric thrusters in the next 10 years following negotiations with European prime contractors Airbus Defence and Space and Thales Alenia Space.
