European Space Agency (ESA) announced the selection of five companies—ArianeGroup, GMV Aerospace and Defence, MT Aerospace, SAB Aerospace, and The Exploration Company—to spearhead the development of in-orbit fuel storage and refueling technologies. This selection, revealed during the Future Space Transportation Award Ceremony in Paris, was part of the agency’s In-Space Proof-of-Concepts (InSPoC) initiative, which aims to build key infrastructure for sustained, flexible operations in space.
Credit: ESA/ClearSpace
The InSPoC initiative, managed under ESA’s Future Launchers Preparatory Programme, encompasses four critical project areas: in-orbit rendezvous and docking (InSPoC-1), in-orbit refueling and propellant management (InSPoC-2), onboard and shared intelligence (InSPoC-3), and containerization and cargo transfer (InSPoC-4). Under the InSPoC-2 call, the selected companies will develop pioneering cryogenic storage and refueling solutions designed to support orbital propellant depots. These depots could enable spacecraft, such as space tugs, to extend their operational lifespans through in-orbit refueling, marking a transformative advancement for sustainable space logistics and deep space exploration.
As ESA envisions, these innovations are essential for long-duration missions and future commercial space endeavors, where in-orbit refueling could enable spacecraft to reach farther destinations without requiring multiple costly launches. By establishing refueling capabilities in orbit, these technologies could also reduce waste and cut down on the frequency of launches, aligning with a vision of space sustainability.
In addition to the InSPoC-2 awards, ESA also announced selections for the InSPoC-3 project, aimed at overcoming challenges faced by multi-use space tugs, including autonomous operations, over-the-air updates, advanced coordination capabilities, and the orchestration of space logistics. Under InSPoC-3, ESA has chosen OHB Digital Connect, GMV Aerospace and Defence, Zaitra, Huld, and Orbital Paradigm to drive these innovations forward.
All selected companies for both InSPoC-2 and InSPoC-3 are set to enter contract negotiations with ESA to advance their proposals from concept to development. These collaborations are poised to solidify Europe’s leadership in the emerging domain of in-orbit infrastructure, fueling a new era of space exploration.
The Paris ceremony also saw ESA awarding additional contracts for the development of reusable rocket technologies, reinforcing the agency’s commitment to enhancing Europe’s presence in the competitive global space industry. With these initiatives, ESA is laying the groundwork for a new chapter in space exploration, built on sustainable, reusable, and flexible technologies that could shape the future of both government and commercial space missions.
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