Posted on
12/4/2022

Exotrail to debut its SpaceVan™ in-space mobility service on October 2023 SpaceX Falcon 9 mission

Exotrail has officially released its new in-space mobility service

EXOTRAIL HAS OFFICIALLY RELEASED ITS NEW IN-SPACE MOBILITY SERVICE WHICH IS DELIVERED BY THEIR SPACEVAN™, A UNIQUE ORBITAL TRANSFER VEHICLE (OTV).

The debut SpaceVan™ mission will launch onboard a Falcon 9 rideshare mission in October 2023 following a launch service agreement signed between Exotrail and SpaceX. At least three subsequent missions are planned throughout 2024 onboard multiple different launchers.

Deploying constellations over several planes, altitudes and inclinations often means using dedicated launch vehicles which dramatically increase launch costs. With the SpaceVan™ mobility service, satellite operators can now quickly and efficiently deploy their constellations over several different planes, altitudes, and inclinations, while still taking advantage of significantly cheaper rideshare vehicles.


Exotrail has leveraged its unique capabilities in flight dynamics, system design and electric propulsion to create an in-space mobility service. The SpaceVan™ uses Exotrail’s space proven ExoMG™ propulsion system which is a key differentiator from its chemical propulsion OTVs counterparts and offers up to 1 km/s of deltaV for a payload capacity of up to 400 kg. The SpaceVan™ is able to perform a typical constellation plane change maneuver in less than 3 months and a 100 km change in just two weeks. The SpaceVan™ has standard connection interfaces which allows both nanosatellites and microsatellites to be deployed, as well as offering hosted payload capability.

Jean-Luc Maria, Exotrail’s CEO commented: “We are thrilled to introduce the SpaceVan™. This new in-space mobility service will give satellite operators access to space at the right place, at the right time and at the right price. With this new service offer, Exotrail completes its product portfolio and paves the way for building an end-to-end space mobility operator. Simply book with us, and we will help you to deploy your asset in space!
We are also thrilled to perform our first SpaceVan™ mission with SpaceX, as a starting point of a fruitful and long-term partnership"

Exotrail is the only company offering in-house space transportation services that have mastered advanced electric propulsion technologies and complex flight dynamics. Providing these capabilities in-house and vertically integrating as a business allows Exotrail to offer satellite operators unmatched flexibility and performance to solve their mobility needs, as well as exceptional agility to react to market changes.


With this new mobility service, Exotrail solves customers mobility needs at every stage of the mission lifecycle and is leading the way in a new world of space logistics.

ABOUT EXOTRAIL

Exotrail is a France-based space company which designs, develops, and operates end-to-end mobility solutions for an agile space. Our mission is to enable small satellites to move in space, optimise their deployment, increase their service performance, and reduce space pollution. This will enable a new world of sustainable telecommunication, earth observation, space logistics and exploration.
Exotrail's unique mobility offering allows our customers to:

  • Accurately and collaboratively define mobility needs with our intuitive mission and system design software, ExoOPS™ - Mission Design
  • Solve mobility needs with our high-thrust, flexible propulsion system (ExoMG™), and our in-space transportation & logistics services, which use our SpaceVan™ vehicle
  • Operate solutions with our "flight dynamics-inside" constellation operation automation software ExoOPS™ - Operations

Exotrail was incorporated in 2017 and has since raised over €20M from prestigious venture capital funds and public grants. We have customers across the globe including the US, Europe and Asia. Our team is expanding quickly and consists, of over 60 individuals who are passionate about disrupting the space industry. We operate out of two locations: Toulouse and Massy (suburb of Paris) in France.

PRESS CONTACT

Léna Carton (press@exotrail.com / +33 1 84 00 87 97)

SOCIAL MEDIA

@Exotrail on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram & YouTube

Read full press release

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