Ep. 103 Gas Stations in Space: How 'Orbit Fab' is Enabling Spacecraft to Refuelling Technology

In this episode, we discuss the groundbreaking concept of "gas stations in space" with Orbit Fab, a company pioneering in-space refueling technology. Explore how their vision of sustainable satellite operations is reshaping the future of space exploration and commerce. We also discuss the innovative solutions Orbit Fab has developed to enable spacecraft to refuel in orbit, their impact on mission longevity, and the potential to revolutionize the way we think about space logistics. Tune in to discover how refueling infrastructure could unlock new possibilities for space stations, satellites, and interplanetary travel, reducing costs and making space more accessible.
Questions covered in this episode:
1. When did you first realize your passion for space? And what is it about space that has captured your imagination - and of course your innovative spirit that has ultimately led to Orbit Fab?
2. Orbit Fab is known as the gas stations in space company. If you’re building and launching gas stations in space, you must be anticipating a real need for refueling satellites and spacecraft? (and ultimately an entire space economy)?
3. Satellite and spacecraft have been launched into space for more than 50 years without the ability to fill up at the gas pump in space. Why is it increasingly important that they can now?
4. What are the technical innovations that Orbit Fab has developed that make in-space refueling possible?
5. Are commercial and government missions integrating Orbit Fab’s refueling interfaces on spacecraft today? And when are the first refuellable missions set to launch into space?
6. What is your RAFTI refueling port and how does it work?
7. What is your GRIP refueling nozzle and how does it work?
8. What is Orbit Fab’s overall objective and how close are you to fulfilling that goal and enabling your customers’ dreams and vision to be realized?
About Orbit Fab:
Orbit Fab was founded in 2018 to eliminate the single-use spacecraft paradigm with in-space refueling. Spacecraft are still limited to the amount of fuel they are launched with, which limits flexibility and poses long-term risks to the space environment.
We resupplied water to the ISS, and launched the first commercial fuel depot into LEO. Our RAFTI refueling interface has become the industry-standard, and we have signed the first commercial and U.S. Government fuel delivery services deals.
About the guest speaker:
Daniel Faber is the Founder and CEO of Orbit Fab. He has over 20 years of space technology leadership, building and launching a dozen satellites for asteroid searches, environmental monitoring, telecommunications, and human habitation. As a serial entrepreneur, his first company developed a unique mining instrumentation technology utilizing gamma-ray spectroscopy, following which he worked on nuclear fusion reactors and then Antarctic communications.
Familiar with the economics of deep-sea mining, Mr. Faber became CEO of Deep Space Industries where he secured millions in financing from VC and governments and grew sales from zero to nearly $10 million. With DSI he successfully changed global perceptions and regulations around space resources and positioned the company to systematically create and commercialize technology for asteroid mining.
Daniel has an engineering background and an MBA from both UCLA Anderson and the National University of Singapore. He now leads Orbit Fab, which has developed two refueling interfaces that have quickly become the standard for commercial and government markets as the enabler for the bustling space economy. Orbit Fab became the first private company to resupply the International Space Station with water.
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