French in-orbit services company Infinite Orbits has raised €12 million to accelerate the development of its satellite life extension system.
Infinite Orbits was founded in 2017 and is developing Endurance, a spacecraft that will enable the company to extend the life of satellites in geostationary orbit by between three and five years. According to the company, its docking system will be compatible with over 70% of satellites currently in its target orbit. In addition to life extension, Endurance will also offer orbital relocation and end-of-life disposal services.
On 13 May, Infinite Orbits announced that it had closed a €12 million funding round. Newfund Capital led the round, which included contributions from the European Union’s European EIC Fund, IRDI Capital Investissement, and SpaceFounders France.
According to Infinite Orbits, the new funding will be used to accelerate the development of Endurance, which the company expects to debut in 2026. Specifically, the company hopes to expedite the development of its core Rendezvous and Proximity Operations (RPO) technology. RPO is an autonomous vision-based navigation technology that will allow assets in space to approach and dock with one another safely.
Space situational awareness
While the company prepares for the launch of its first Endurance satellite life extension mission, Infinite Orbits has already launched a technology demonstrator for its space situational awareness service. Orbit Guard-1 was launched in March 2023 aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 and will serve as an in-orbit demonstration of several capabilities. The company plans to launch Orbit Guard-2 this year, followed by two more Orbit Guard satellites by the end of 2025.
