Spaceium is opening access to its OpenPort refueling technology, allowing other companies to license and build the hardware for a fee of $1. The company aims to generate revenue primarily through fuel sales rather than hardware licensing, seeking to establish a broader orbital infrastructure.
The OpenPort system is designed to be fuel-agnostic and functions as both a pump and a port. It replaces the traditional ground-based fueling port on spacecraft, converting a component that typically becomes dead weight after launch into a functional interface for orbital refueling.
The company has already demonstrated a robotic arm for refueling operations during a mission on SpaceX Transporter-15 in November. The next milestone involves sending the OpenPort hardware to the International Space Station in the first half of 2027 to perform a xenon transfer demonstration.
The sector for orbital refueling is seeing increased activity, with competitors like Orbit Fab already offering open licenses for their own refueling ports. Spaceium intends to use its technology to enable a network where mobile fuel depots can service various spacecraft in orbit.
