What Orbion Space Technology does

Orbion Space Technology, founded in 2017 and headquartered in Houghton, Michigan, designs and manufactures Hall-effect electric propulsion (HET) systems for small satellites. Its core product, the Aurora Hall-effect Propulsion System, is a fully integrated package combining a magnetically shielded thruster, a 90%-efficient power processing unit, a propellant management assembly, a harness, and a storage tank, continuously throttleable from 100–300 W on xenon or krypton with class-leading specific impulse of 1,400 seconds and thrust-to-power above 60 mN/kW. The Aurora architecture supports an optional El Matador dual-mode cold-gas collision-avoidance feature that delivers a 100x thrust increase on demand, plus TID-graded electronics variants (Pathfinder 5 krad, Constellation 25 krad, Cislunar >100 krad) for missions in MEO, GEO, and cislunar orbits. Underlying IP includes a patent-pending ZeroTorque magnetic-moment design and a flight-proven hardware pedigree, with manufacturing certified to AS9100D and an automated line stated to produce 1 to 1,000+ units per run at consistent price and reliability.

The company operates a B2B enterprise and government go-to-market, selling directly to small satellite constellation operators and U.S. Government agencies, for which it is an authorized sole-source supplier. Revenue comes from two streams: hardware sales of propulsion system modules and engineering/mission services spanning co-engineering, CONOPs planning, propellant loading, and on-orbit support. Systems are co-engineered to fit customer spacecraft volumes with a simple 28 V / RS-422 interface, and pricing is custom-quoted rather than list-priced. Orbion has raised at least $56 million in cumulative equity (2019 Series A led by Material Impact, 2021 $20M Series B led by Inventus Capital Partners, and a ~$27M late-2025 raise) and was acquired by York Space Systems in March 2026, continuing as a wholly owned subsidiary.

Name

Orbion Space Technology

Legal name

Orbion Space Technology, Inc.

Website

https://orbionspace.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Acquired

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Orbion Space Technology designs and manufactures integrated Hall-effect electric propulsion systems (Aurora) for small satellites, with mission-specific TID variants and a dual-mode collision-avoidance feature, selling directly to U.S. Government agencies and commercial constellation operators.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Satellite Electric Propulsion Systems

NAICS

Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Propulsion Unit and Propulsion Unit Parts Manufacturing (336415), Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Manufacturing (336414)

SIC

Guided Missiles & Space Vehicles & Parts (3760)

akta.pro primary industry

Spacecraft Propulsion (In-Space) & Thrusters (IMABACAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Spacecraft Integration, Assembly & Test (IAT) (IMABACAK)

Keywords

• Hall-effect thrusters
• Electric propulsion systems
• Small satellite propulsion
• Plasma propulsion hardware
• Spacecraft propulsion manufacturing

Headquarters

HQ city

Houghton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Propulsion System Hardware Sales: Sale of Aurora Hall-effect propulsion systems including thrusters, power processing units, propellant management assemblies, and integrated systems. AS9100D certified systems sold to constellation operators and government programs.
2. Engineering and Mission Services: Co-engineering, CONOPs planning, orbit/mission analysis, propellant loading, and on-orbit support services provided throughout the customer engagement lifecycle.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Orbion designs, manufactures, and sells the Aurora Hall-effect electric propulsion system for small satellites, integrating a magnetically shielded thruster, power processing unit, propellant management assembly, harness, and storage tank into a flight-proven, mass-producible package. The company also provides co-engineering, mission/conops analysis, propellant loading, and on-orbit support services to integrate its propulsion hardware into customer spacecraft for commercial and government missions.

Product overview

Orbion Space Technology offers the Aurora Hall-effect propulsion system as its primary product — a fully integrated electric propulsion solution for small satellites. The Aurora system includes the core Hall-effect thruster, power processing unit, propellant management assembly, and storage tank as a unified package. The company also provides the El Matador collision avoidance feature as an optional add-on module that adds high-thrust cold-gas capability to the Aurora system. Additionally, Orbion offers a Thruster Configurator web tool for customers to design custom system configurations based on their mission parameters.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• El Matador: Collision avoidance feature for the Aurora propulsion system, providing high-thrust cold-gas capability for agile evasive maneuvers.
• Aurora

Products and services

• Aurora Hall-effect Propulsion System

Quantifiable outcome

• Specific impulse of 1,400 seconds reduces propellant mass requirements
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Sitael Aerospace: Sitael is an Italian smallsat propulsion manufacturer offering Hall-effect thrusters (e.g., S-50, HT100) and complete smallsat platforms. It competes with Orbion globally for commercial constellation business while serving European institutional customers.
• Apollo Fusion (Astra): Apollo Fusion, acquired by Astra, developed Hall-effect thrusters for small satellites and was a direct competitor to Orbion in the U.S. commercial and government smallsat propulsion market before integration into Astra's platform.
• ENPULSION (Morpheus Space): ENPULSION, a Morpheus Space subsidiary, manufactures electric propulsion systems (inductively coupled plasma/FEEP) for small satellites, directly competing with Orbion's HET-based Aurora system for the same constellation operator customer base globally.
• Busek Co. Inc. Busek is one of the most established U.S. developers of Hall-effect thrusters and electric propulsion systems for small satellites, with flight heritage on multiple government missions. It competes directly with Orbion in the same HET technology niche serving the DoD and commercial smallsat customers.

Emerging players

• Phase Four: Phase Four develops RF thrusters for small satellites as a low-cost, non-pressurized alternative to chemical and Hall-effect propulsion. It targets the same smallsat constellation market as Orbion but with a different propulsion technology approach.
• Accion Systems: Accion Systems produces electrospray propulsion systems for small satellites, offering a non-HET alternative for the same constellation operator customers Orbion targets. Comparable in scale and stage though differentiated by technology.
• ThrustMe: ThrustMe is a European developer of electric and iodine-based propulsion systems for small satellites. It competes with Orbion's Aurora in the smallsat propulsion market while also offering alternative propellant chemistries like iodine.

Others

• York Space Systems: York Space Systems is Orbion's parent company and a Denver-based satellite manufacturer. While not a propulsion competitor, York is the platform integrator for Orbion's propulsion systems on national security missions and now Orbion operates as its wholly owned propulsion subsidiary.

Broad incumbents

• Safran Aircraft Engines (Space Propulsion): Safran, through its space propulsion activities, is a major European aerospace prime offering electric and chemical propulsion systems. While primarily serving larger platforms, its PPS-5000 and other HET-class products overlap with Orbion's technology category at higher power levels.
• Aerojet Rocketdyne (L3Harris): Aerojet Rocketdyne, now part of L3Harris, is a broad incumbent in space propulsion producing Hall-effect thrusters, chemical propulsion, and other systems. It competes with Orbion in government programs while also serving much larger legacy satellite platforms.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/orbion-space-technology
• Xx.com/orbionspace
• Facebookfacebook.com/orbionspace

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds6 records

Investors10 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Orbion Space Technology