Orbital Operations
High Thrust Space Vehicles for Satellite Defense
Ben Schleuniger, Founder
Ross Doherty, Co-Founder & COO
The Problem
“The Space Launch advances we have seen in this Third Space Age to date are just a Special Case in the Third Space Age of Mobility.
[Our capabilities] will evolve into a broader General Case of Responsiveness, Reusability, and Servicing/Logistics that will encompass the whole domain and enable Dynamic Space Operations.”
- Lt. General (Ret.) John Shaw, US Space Force
In October 2021, China’s Shijan-21 was launched into Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO), where it docked with a navigation satellite, moved the asset beyond the typical graveyard orbit, and returned to Geosynchronous Earth Orbit (GEO). This capability far exceeds what the American space market has been able to achieve, and large providers are far behind schedule.
Access to Space
Recently, a mission was performed by the government to test how long it would take to put an emergency military asset into orbit. The acceleration effort led to the launch of a vehicle in 5 months. While this was faster than previous efforts, a lot can happen in 5 months, especially during times of unrest. The US Space Force needs a high-thrust, high-efficiency vehicle to perform dynamic space operations in hours to be able to protect our critical satellite infrastructure.
In-Space Propulsion
Current in-space propulsion systems rely on one of the following, both of which have significant downsides:
- Storable propellants
- Electric propulsion
Storable propellants can only provide a few pounds of thrust (~3.75 lbf) and modest efficiency at 250 sec to 320 sec of specific impulse (Isp). Although the engines are simple and reliable, the performance is not adequate for responsive maneuvers. Meanwhile, electric propulsion boasts extremely high Isp (1300 sec), but the thrust is extremely low, coming in at less than 0.007 lbf.
The Solution
Taking advantage of the decreasing costs of launch services and chemical propulsion development over the last 15+ years, Orbital Operations is building a high-thrust, reusable space vehicle that will be stationed in orbit to perform rapid dynamic space operations for the military, executing and finalizing orbital maneuvers in hours vs months. There are 3 key pieces of development:
- The Cryo-Cooler
- The Rocket Engine
- The Vehicle
The Cryo-Cooler (BOREAS)
The first milestone to unlock dynamic space operations is to develop a functioning cryogenic cooling system capable of storing high-efficiency propellants for an indefinite amount of time while in space. With a letter of support from NASA, we have access to the 15+ years of research and development they have put together on cryogenic fluid management and have the capabilities to commercialize the technology. Using a Reverse Brayton Cycle (RBC), turbomachinery, and advanced manufacturing techniques, we can develop a commercially viable 20 Kelvin cryocooler.
Rocket Engine
Orbital Operations will develop an in-house chemical propulsion engine capable of >5000 lbs of thrust and a targeted Isp no less than 450 sec. We have been a part of multiple engine development campaigns from the beginning, ranging from 23,000 lbf (Aeon-1, Relativity) all the way to 550,000 lbf (BE-4, Blue Origin).
The Vehicle
Our initial vehicle will look to host modular government payloads (electro-optical cameras, infrared cameras, signal collection, deployable decoys, weapon systems, etc.). Continued development will be done for rendezvous operations, both for military applications and commercial applications.
Who We Are
Ben and Ross have over 15 years of combined experience in the aerospace industry from NASA, Aerojet Rocketdyne, SpaceX, Blue Origin, and most recently, Relativity Space. They met at Relativity Space when tasked with developing and qualifying the Flight Termination System for the Terran-1 rocket. Since then, Ben and Ross have been working closely together developing turbomachinery systems and heat exchangers for the Aeon-R engine before leaving Relativity to start Orbital Operations. They bring a unique skillset based on rocket engine and turbomachinery development, as well as a wide array of advanced manufacturing capabilities.
The Ask
- Feedback – Please reach out to ask questions, share insights and experiences in the aerospace industry
- Connect – Any and all contacts within the military (US Space Force and Air Force) would be appreciated! Also looking for warm introductions to commercial customers
- Share – Spread the word and follow along! Space is fun, and rocket engines are exciting to watch, even when they disassemble themselves!
YC Sign Photo
