Dawn Aerospace, Infinite Orbits and Exotrail selected for CNES R&T Study on Next-Generation Platforms for In-Orbit Refueling
- Sep 29, 2025
- 2 min read
Toulouse, France, 30th September 2025 — Dawn Aerospace is proud to announce its selection, alongside Infinite Orbits and Exotrail, by CNES (the French Space Agency) for a strategic Research & Technology (R&T) initiative focused on next-generation of in-orbit refuelable platforms. This study represents a key milestone in advancing France and Europe’s understanding and development of sustainable, autonomous space operations and in-orbit servicing capabilities.
Led by CNES, this initiative aims to study innovative refueling solutions by analyzing the impacts of making a spacecraft platform refuellable, with the goal of extending satellite lifespans, reducing orbital debris, and strengthening Europe’s leadership in the rapidly evolving field of on-orbit servicing.
In this initial phase, Dawn Aerospace, Infinite Orbits and Exotrail will collaborate closely with CNES to study key technical, operational, and integration challenges related to refuelable platforms, with Dawn contributing its expertise in in-orbit refueling hardware and servicing, and its partners bringing complementary know-how on innovative spacecraft dedicated to in-orbit servicing, with the potential to be refueled.
The project aligns with CNES’s broader strategy to contribute to a resilient, sovereign, and sustainable space ecosystem in France and Europe. Dawn’s team, based at the B612 Innovation Hub in Toulouse, will actively participate in collaboration with our partners in market analysis, contribute to architectural trade-offs, and synthesize possible approaches, including the proposal of a roadmap for future refueling missions and servicing operations.
“This collaboration with CNES and our two partners Infinite Orbits and Exotrail positions Dawn Aerospace at the forefront of France and Europe’s future in-orbit servicing capabilities”, said Jeroen Wink, Co-founder and CRO of Dawn Aerospace. “We are honored to support CNES’s long-term vision for sustainable space access and mobility.”
“Infinite Orbits is pleased to be taking part in this study to help define a French roadmap based on market needs. This is an essential first step to develop and advance French technologies for innovative and competitive in-orbit service solutions”, said Marion Andrieux-Coulbaut, CCO of Infinite Orbits.
“As both an operator and a provider of on-orbit servicing solutions, Exotrail is proud to support this partnership, reinforcing the European competitiveness and sovereignty of our industry while enabling future benefits for satellite operators.” said Jean-Luc Maria, CEO of Exotrail.
A CNES representative added: “Studies on in-orbit refueling is a crucial step towards exploring solutions for more agile, repairable, and long-lived satellite infrastructure."
About Dawn Aerospace
Dawn Aerospace is a space transportation company developing both refuellable satellite propulsion and the fastest, highest-flying spaceplane ever to take off from a runway. With a 70% European customer base, Dawn’s propulsion systems are already operating on 38 satellites, and the next step is LOOP — an on-orbit refuelling network, revolutionising sustainability and scalability of in-space mobility.
Their spaceplane, Aurora combines the extreme performance of rocket propulsion with the reusability of conventional airplanes to enable high-frequency, low-cost access to suborbital space.
Founded in 2017, Dawn Aerospace has over 120 staff across offices in the Netherlands, France, New Zealand, and the United States.
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