American company wants to build a series of gas stations in space

Orbit Fab aims to build space fuel stations in the hope that refueling technology will help the satellite industry grow.

Illustration of a satellite operating in low Earth orbit. Photo: Space — Illustration of a satellite operating in low Earth orbit. Photo: *Space*

The solar panels that satellites typically have can generate electricity to power devices like cameras and radios, but they can’t help satellites adjust their orbits, according to Daniel Fab, who co-founded Orbit Fab in 2018. To keep satellites on track, experts must constantly use fuel to adjust their positions, so the lifespan of satellites is limited by the amount of fuel they carry.

Orbit Fab plans to launch large tanks into orbit, each holding several tons of fuel, AFP reported on April 27. Smaller, more maneuverable craft would then shuttle between the tanks and the satellites to refuel.

Like cars, satellites that want to receive additional propellant from Orbit Fab need a compatible fuel port. Faber said that about 200 to 250 satellites have been designed to use the company's system. This is a potential market, with up to 24,500 satellites planned to launch between 2022 and 2031.

Orbit Fab has launched a tank into orbit and plans to conduct refueling tests in the near future. In 2019, the company demonstrated the feasibility of the system with a water transfer test on the International Space Station (ISS).

The company plans to launch just a few fuel ships into geostationary orbit, where satellites mostly fly in a single plane around the equator at an altitude of about 36,000 kilometers. Satellites in low Earth orbit, meanwhile, have many different orbits and will need more fuel ships.

Some of the benefits of in-orbit refueling include reducing the weight of the satellite at launch due to reduced fuel, making the satellite more useful in the long term by extending its lifespan.

In addition to refueling, many companies are also interested in other ways to maintain satellites. According to Faber, about 130 companies have recently entered this field. For example, they are developing tugboats to reach and repair malfunctioning satellites.

In addition to satellites, Orbit Fab is also looking to service private space stations. The company is also interested in the market on and around the Moon, focusing not on mining materials but on converting them into propellant and delivering them to customers.

Thu Thao (According to AFP )

Source link