In-orbit Refuelling: Propelling Humanity’s Future in Space
The last half-century has witnessed unprecedented growth in our understanding of space, both as a frontier and a domain of endless opportunities. Yet, as with any frontier, there are challenges and barriers that must be overcome. One such challenge is the current limitation of space vehicle endurance and mobility. The solution? In-space refuelling.
Why is In-Space Refuelling a Game-Changer?
1. Enable New Missions: Mobility is fundamental to satellite servicing in all its forms: inspection, active debris removal, orbital transfer vehicles, assembly, manufacturing, life extension, recycling, robotic repair. New operating modes and business models such as VLEO and sustained low-lunar orbits. As with any new platform capability, the most exciting business models and use cases are the ones that no entrepreneur or engineer has imagined yet.
2. Extended Mission Lifespan: The most obvious benefit of refuelling is the ability to extend mission duration. Spacecraft, whether satellites, crewed missions, or probes, are constrained by their fuel capacity. Once fuel is expended, the mission ends, or the satellite becomes space debris. Refuelling allows these assets to extend their operational life, making missions more flexible and cost-effective.
3. Increased Payload Capabilities: Currently, spacecraft must carry all the fuel they will ever use from the moment they launch. With refuelling, spacecraft can instead be designed for increased payload capacity and more capable scientific instruments, thereby fundamentally increasing their value-generating potential.
4. Enhanced Exploration Opportunities: In-space refuelling can be a boon for deep space exploration. As we set our sights on destinations like Mars and beyond, the capability to refuel vehicles on their journey becomes a strategic advantage, reducing the need for excessively large and heavy launch vehicles. SpaceX’s Starship, for example, is being designed with refuelling from the outset with multiple refuellings envisioned to enable Artemis crewed lunar landings.
5. Ensuring Space Sustainability and Debris Mitigation: Instead of decommissioning satellites when they run out of fuel and potentially contributing to the growing space debris problem, satellites can be refuelled and maintained, reducing waste. This is not only an economic advantage but also a major step toward space sustainability. Where satellites do become debris, the costs to remove multiple debris objects can be reduced by up to 80% by incorporating refuelling to amortise costs over multiple missions.
6. Maximising Economic Viability: As the in-space refuelling infrastructure grows, a new industry will emerge. Just as petrol stations became a staple for cars, so too will refuelling stations in space. This offers new economic opportunities, from fuel production and transport to the establishment and maintenance of refuelling stations across strategic orbits.
A Call to Action: Supporting Space Sustainability
While the potential benefits of in-space refuelling are apparent, realizing them demands innovation, investment, and, importantly, collaboration across sectors. The public and private sectors, researchers, policymakers, and even the general public all have roles to play.
- Investment in R&D: Governments and private enterprises must channel resources into researching and developing the technology necessary for safe and efficient in-space refuelling. Technical de-risking is key to enabling a vibrant in space economy. Continuing the UK ADR programme with a follow-on refuelling mission would be a natural next step and cement UK leadership in this domain.
- Policy Frameworks: Space-faring nations should collaborate to develop regulatory frameworks to oversee this emerging industry and incentivise good behaviour, ensuring safety, equity, and sustainability. The UK should build on the recent momentum of the Artemis Accords and the Astra Carta Charter to pave the way for strong frameworks for ensuring space sustainability, working closely with the international community.
- Public Engagement: As stewards of our planet and its immediate space environment, the public should be informed and engaged. They can support policies that drive forward these technologies and advocate for sustainable practices in space. The UK Space Agency should fully implement one of its key pillars of ‘championing space’ and develop novel campaigns for raising awareness of the crucial role space plays in society today, working with the Satellite Applications Catapult, DSIT, industry, and academia.
- Collaboration: Space agencies, private companies, and international bodies need to collaborate on standards, safety protocols, and joint missions to ensure the industry’s smooth growth. Consolidate the many current channels and entry points into the UK Space sector through a central gateway that brings together UK funded programmes (for both national and ESA) and activities into one location so new entrants have a clearer understanding of funding routes and opportunities.
In-space refuelling is not just a novel concept; it’s a pivotal component of our future in space. It represents a shift from short-lived, one-off missions to a sustainable, enduring presence in space. Companies like Orbit Fab are leading the way in making this a viable technology having conducted multiple demo missions and supported by the UK Space Agency through technology de-risking projects, including as part of the UK Active Debris Removal and Enabling Technologies Programmes.
Just as Tesla transformed electric mobility, and Uber disrupted transportation – Orbit Fab is fundamentally reshaping how we approach space operations and exploration. In-space refuelling is opening an era where distance and duration in space are no longer constraints. By supporting the development and adoption of these technologies, we're not just investing in space but in a sustainable and interconnected future above and beyond our planet.
Let's embark on this journey together, ensuring that as we reach for the stars, we do so responsibly, sustainably, and inclusively.
techUK – Unleashing UK Tech and Innovation
The UK is home to emerging technologies that have the power to revolutionise entire industries. From quantum to semiconductors; from gaming to the New Space Economy, they all have the unique opportunity to help prepare for what comes next.
techUK members lead the development of these technologies. Together we are working with Government and other stakeholders to address tech innovation priorities and build an innovation ecosystem that will benefit people, society, economy and the planet - and unleash the UK as a global leader in tech and innovation.
For more information, or to get in touch, please visit our Innovation Hub and click ‘contact us’.
Upcoming events:
A Black Lens: Exploring Representation In The Future of Extended Reality (XR)
London
Latest news and insights:
Get our tech and innovation insights straight to your inbox
Sign-up to get the latest updates and opportunities from our Technology and Innovation and AI programmes.
Learn more about our Unleashing Innovation campaign:
Sprint Campaigns
techUK's sprint campaigns explore how emerging and transformative technologies are developed, applied and commercialised across the UK's innovation ecosystem.
Activity includes workshops, roundtables, panel discussions, networking sessions, Summits, and flagship reports (setting out recommendations for Government and industry).
Each campaign runs for 4-6 months and features regular collaborations with programmes across techUK.
This campaign explored how the UK can lead on the development, application and commercialisation of space technologies and ultimately realise the benefits of the New Space Economy.
These technologies include AI, quantum, lasers, robotics & automation, advanced propulsion and materials, and semiconductors.
Activity has taken the form of roundtables, panel discussions, networking sessions, Summits, thought leadership pieces, policy recommendations, and a report.
Get in touch below to find out more about techUK's ongoing work in this area.
Event round-ups
Report
Insights
Get in touch
Rory Daniels
Rory Daniels
Rory joined techUK in June 2023 after three years in the Civil Service on its Fast Stream leadership development programme.
During this time, Rory worked on the Government's response to Covid-19 (NHS Test & Trace), school funding strategy (Department for Education) and international climate and nature policy (Cabinet Office). He also tackled the social care crisis whilst on secondment to techUK's Health and Social Care programme in 2022.
Before this, Rory worked in the House of Commons and House of Lords alongside completing degrees in Political Economy and Global Politics.
Today, Rory leads techUK's emerging technologies activity across everything from immersive, web3, AI and robotics to space, gaming & metaverse.
This involves co-running techUK's flagship Innovation campaign, managing four series (including the 'Meet the Innovators' interview series), and launching 4-6-month 'sprint campaigns' on transformative technologies and sectors.
- Email:
- [email protected]
- LinkedIn:
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/rorydaniels28/
This campaign has explored how the UK can lead on the development, application and commercialisation of the technologies set to underpin the Gaming & Esports sector of the future.
These include AI, augmented / virtual / mixed / extended reality, haptics, cloud & edge computing, semiconductors, and advanced connectivity (5/6G).
Activity has taken the form of roundtables, panel discussions, networking sessions, Summits, and thought leadership pieces. A report featuring member case studies and policy recommendations is currently being produced (to be launched in September 2024).
Get in touch below to find out more about contributing to or collaborating on this campaign.
Report
Event round-ups
Insights
Get in touch
Rory Daniels
Rory Daniels
Rory joined techUK in June 2023 after three years in the Civil Service on its Fast Stream leadership development programme.
During this time, Rory worked on the Government's response to Covid-19 (NHS Test & Trace), school funding strategy (Department for Education) and international climate and nature policy (Cabinet Office). He also tackled the social care crisis whilst on secondment to techUK's Health and Social Care programme in 2022.
Before this, Rory worked in the House of Commons and House of Lords alongside completing degrees in Political Economy and Global Politics.
Today, Rory leads techUK's emerging technologies activity across everything from immersive, web3, AI and robotics to space, gaming & metaverse.
This involves co-running techUK's flagship Innovation campaign, managing four series (including the 'Meet the Innovators' interview series), and launching 4-6-month 'sprint campaigns' on transformative technologies and sectors.
- Email:
- [email protected]
- LinkedIn:
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/rorydaniels28/
Running from July to December 2024, this campaign will explore how the UK can lead on the development, application and commercialisation of web3 and immersive technologies.
These include blockchain, smart contracts, digital assets, augmented / virtual / mixed / extended reality, spatial computing, haptics and holograms.
Activity will take the form of roundtables, workshops, panel discussions, networking sessions, tech demos, Summits, thought leadership pieces, policy recommendations, and reports.
Get in touch below to find out more about contributing to or collaborating on this campaign.
Upcoming events
Event round-ups
Guest insights
Get in touch
Rory Daniels
Rory Daniels
Rory joined techUK in June 2023 after three years in the Civil Service on its Fast Stream leadership development programme.
During this time, Rory worked on the Government's response to Covid-19 (NHS Test & Trace), school funding strategy (Department for Education) and international climate and nature policy (Cabinet Office). He also tackled the social care crisis whilst on secondment to techUK's Health and Social Care programme in 2022.
Before this, Rory worked in the House of Commons and House of Lords alongside completing degrees in Political Economy and Global Politics.
Today, Rory leads techUK's emerging technologies activity across everything from immersive, web3, AI and robotics to space, gaming & metaverse.
This involves co-running techUK's flagship Innovation campaign, managing four series (including the 'Meet the Innovators' interview series), and launching 4-6-month 'sprint campaigns' on transformative technologies and sectors.
- Email:
- [email protected]
- LinkedIn:
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/rorydaniels28/
Campaign Weeks
Our annual Campaign Weeks enable techUK members to explore how the UK can lead on the development and application of emerging and transformative technologies.
Members do this by contributing blogs or vlogs, speaking at events, and highlighting examples of best practice within the UK's tech sector.
Summits
Tech and Innovation Summit 2023
Tech and Innovation Summit 2024
Authors
