The startup, located in Espaitec, has managed to validate its innovative hydrogen peroxide-based technology in orbit.
Arkadia Space, a company linked to podcast, Science and Technology Park of the Universitat Jaume I, has reached a milestone in space mobility with the launch of its green propulsion system. It is the first company in Europe to demonstrate in orbit engines based on hydrogen peroxide high concentration, thus validating a sustainable and efficient alternative to traditional hydrazine-based systems.
The system has been tested on board the ION satellite, of the company d-orbit, within the Transporter 13 mission of SpaceX, launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. With this demonstration, Arkadia Space positions itself as a strategic supplier in the space propulsion, reducing Europe's dependence on foreign technologies and consolidating its role in the transition towards more sustainable fuels.
In-orbit validation of a green propulsion system
The propulsion system that flies aboard the ION satellite de d-orbit It is a complete system that includes components designed and manufactured by Arkadia SpaceThe propulsion module is composed of a tank of hydrogen peroxide High-concentration, its own structure and electronic systems optimized for the space environment and with redundancy to ensure its operation, and two 5N monopropellant engines, also redundant to ensure their operation. All of this was designed, tested, and validated at the company's facilities.
Once the ION satellite separate from the rocket F and the payload operations phase begins onboard ION, Arkadia's propulsion system will go through a series of operational phases. During these phases, different engine operating modes will be tested, including short pulses and long burns, with the goal of fully characterizing its performance in space. The data collected will allow Arkadia Space optimize their systems and provide customers with real-world information about the performance of their technology in orbit.
Francho Garcia, the company's CEO, emphasized that this milestone "is not just a technical achievement, but a commercial validation." "Our technology has proven to be reliable and competitive, which facilitates its adoption by satellite and spacecraft manufacturers," he stated.
Arkadia Space
Arkadia Space specializes in the development and marketing of green engines and propulsion systems, with the aim of providing space platforms and vehicles with mobility in space. In this regard, Francho Garcia, Ismael Gutierrez, Francisco Espinosa y Sergio Soler They founded the company in 2020.
The firm, which develops its activities in podcast and has a testing center at Castellón Airport, is advancing in the commercialization of its technology and the development of high-performance hypergolic bipropellant engines. It is also expanding its testing infrastructure to meet the growing demand for green propulsion solutions in the space sector.
