Dawn Aerospace Introduces New Refueling Port
Dawn Aerospace has launched a new docking and refueling port for its SatDrive propulsion systems.
The Docking and Fluid Transfer port (DFT) aims to provide in-space refueling services, replacing traditional valves used for loading propellants on the ground.
This new port, which weighs 0.6 kilograms more than the older hardware, can manage pressurized propellants like nitrous oxide and propene or ethane, while also serving as a power and data link.
From 2025, the DFT port will be standard for SatDrive users with systems over 10 kilonewtons.
“With low mass, low risk, and zero cost, we believe it’s getting close to a ‘no brainer’ decision for any Dawn customer who sees value in refueling,” said Stefan Powell, CEO of Dawn. “This allows customers to make the leap of faith, even though there are no established refueling services yet.”
I think this is a big step forward in space technology.
Chicken and Egg Problem
It’s still uncertain when in-space refueling will become a reality.
“There is a long way to go before there is a real business and customers there,” Powell told SpaceNews by email. “This is the first step (in our opinion) to making it at all a financial possibility for commercial space. Who exactly does that refueling is something the market will have to decide once there are customers.”
Dawn currently provides nitrous-based propulsion for over 20 clients, producing around one system per week.
“Not all will use the DFT, but if a significant fraction does, we foresee potentially hundreds of refuelable satellites on-orbit by the 2030s,” Powell mentioned. “That will go a long way to establishing a customer base for satellite refueling.”
Debris Removal
Apart from refueling, Dawn’s port can also assist in removing space debris in low-Earth orbit. Dawn, with bases in the Netherlands and New Zealand, supports the European Space Agency’s Zero Debris Charter.
