Exotrail wins landmark in-orbit logistics missions
In a contract worth several million euros, Exotrail is the in-orbit logistics operator the French institutions have selected to ensure a capacity for satellites transfer into low Earth orbit (LEO).
Exotrail’s in-orbit transport service spacedrop™, has been selected via a competitive tender process to perform the first orbital logistics missions ordered by French institutions.
In 2021, the French government announced a national investment and stimulus package (France 2030), which included 1 billion euros to support emerging French space companies. As part ofthis package, Exotrail and the French government Space Agency (CNES) will ink atwo-mission contract.
The first mission, scheduled for2024, will see Exotrail’s spacevan™ vehicle demonstrate its ability to change satellite altitude and plan in combined maneuvers – a game changer for smallsatellite constellation deployment. In a second mission scheduled for 2025, the company will transport a microsatellite from the launcher’s delivery point toits final orbit.
This landmark contract is another meaningful step towards establishing Exotrail as a worldwide space logistics leader and creates significant opportunities for commercial and institutional space transportation companies to leverage the remaining capacity of these missions.
Exotrail’s spacedrop™ service gives satellite operators the flexibility they need to get their satellites to their operational orbits. Exotrail offers an integrated service by procuring access to space, integrating the platform with customers satellites onboard and performing required operations in orbit. The spacedrop™ service will be inaugurated in October 2023 and the missions performed in the context of France 2030 will benefit from an upgraded version of the vehicle; notably an improved propulsion system and a platform offering a greater payload capacity.
This contract emphasizes the benefits of a holistic vision of space mobility. Exotrail’s spacedrop™ vehicle will be powered by Exotrail’s space proven high-thrust, flexible propulsion systems spaceware™ electric thrusters and orbital operations will be completed using its proprietary software solution, spacetower™. Exotrail’s expertise in these two critical components gives its spacedrop™ service a clear edge on its competitors.
ABOUT EXOTRAIL
Exotrail is an end-to-end space mobility operator. We design, develop and sell mobility solutions for an agile space. Our mission is to optimize the way satellites are deployed and move inspace, to increase their service performances and reduce space pollution. Thanks to its ambition, Exotrail builds a new world for space telecommunications, earth observation, space logistic and exploration.
Exotrail's product portfolio allowsour customers:
• to define accurately their mobility needs with our collaborative, intuitive mission and system design software, spacestudio™,
• to solve this mobility need with our high-thrust, flexible propulsion systems spaceware™ and our in-space transportation and logistics services with our spacedrop™ service,
• to operate their constellation, with our automation software, spacetower™.
Exotrail has been incorporated in2017 and has secured over 20M€ since then from prestigious Venture Capital funds and public grants. We have customers across the globe on all our product lines - US, Europe and Asia. Our team is expanding quickly and consists, as of today, of +80 people who are passionate about disrupting the space industry. We operate out of two locations: Toulouse and Massy (Paris area).
contact: communication@exotrail.com
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