Space Force Approves Orbit Fab’s RAFTI as Accepted Refueling Interface for Military Satellites

August 5, 2024

Orbit Fab, the premier provider of on-orbit refueling services, today announced its RAFTI™ (Rapidly Attachable Fluid Transfer Interface) refueling port was designated by the Space Force’s Space Systems Command (SSC) as a refueling interface for in-space fueling of military satellites.

The SSC’s System Engineering Review Board (SERB) made the recommendation following mission-critical assessments that RAFTI meets the technical qualifications to support a wide range of U.S. Government space missions.

Orbit Fab is well positioned with its RAFTI refueling port and GRIP™ refueling nozzle to meet the Space Force’s request and need for refueling as a commercial service. In-space fuel depots equipped with RAFTIs, and fuel shuttles equipped with the GRIP will enable reusable fuel shuttles and satellites.

The Space Force Tetra-5 program satellites are set to be among the first to use Orbit Fab’s RAFTI refueling ports during a first-of-its-kind refueling operations, expecting to launch next year. That’s just one of many named and yet-to-be named government and commercial programs that have purchased RAFTI for spacecraft ground and on-orbit fueling capabilities.

The DoD’s Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) has contracted with Orbit Fab for the first in-space fuel sale in GEO orbit and selected Orbit Fab as part of its RAPIDS Refueling and Fuel Depot Initiative.

Built as a small, affordable, commercially available refueling interface, Orbit Fab’s RAFTI refueling port is ready for launch site fueling and in-space refueling of satellites of any size in any orbit, including the biggest national security, civil, and commercial spacecraft.

“This important thumbs up from the Space Systems Command is a critical step in providing the government and commercial space markets a trusted refueling standard in Orbit Fab’s RAFTI refueling port,” explained Daniel Faber, Orbit Fab CEO. “Our RAFTI refueling port is designed to integrate easily and affordably with any spacecraft, with a small footprint and price tag aimed at unleashing the full potential of refueling in space. We are thrilled to be working with SSC and their System Engineering Review Board and look forward to playing an integral role in enabling mission-critical maneuverability and mission extension in space. Reusable satellites enabled by unlimited delta-v are the future”

Orbit Fab’s RAFTI is the first refueling interface to be flight qualified, a milestone reached earlier this year after completing a battery of stringent tests and rigorous evaluations. The RAFTI refueling port can be easily combined with the RAFTI Ground Coupling™, a ground infrastructure interface that enables spacecraft operators, manufacturers, and payload processing facilities to replace typical fill-and-drain service valves with RAFTI for secure and reliable ground fueling at the launch site as well as in-space refueling.

Orbit Fab has priced the RAFTI refueling port at $30,000 to make it easily accessible for missions of all sizes. RAFTI shipments to customers are underway and expanding on the heels of the successful qualification tests.

“Orbit Fab thanks the Space Force’ Space Systems Command for its rigorous review, which marks a great collaborative milestone for us working together,” said Adam Harris, Orbit Fab’s Chief Commercial Officer.  “With this validation, Orbit Fab will work with any propulsion company and spacecraft builder to meet the Space Force need for unlimited maneuverability.”