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Press Release
Benchmark Unveils In-Space Mobility Service to Unlock OSAM Innovations
Flexible taxi-like pay-as-you-go propulsion service enables satellite operators and service providers to dramatically reduce upfront mission costs and boost revenues and ROI by converting capex to opex
SCOUT and Orbit Fab have signed the first Mobility-as-a-Service(MaaS) agreements to speed their OSAM missions
Burlington, Vermont – June 23, 2021 –Benchmark Space Systems, a leading provider of in-space mobility products and services, today announced a breakthrough in-space mobility service that virtually eliminates upfront propulsion equipment costs and boosts on-orbit, servicing, assembly and manufacturing (OSAM) mission revenues by allowing satellite operators and service providers to pay as they go for in-space transport.
SCOUT, an in-space inspection and situational awareness provider, and Orbit Fab, the Gas Stations in Space™ firm, are the first to sign mobility-as-a-service agreements with Benchmark. The companies will leverage the service to accelerate their strategic roadmaps and equip their spacecraft with managed non-toxic, high thrust systems with a nominal deposit and deferred payments throughout mission operation based on propellant usage or ‘delta V’ akin to vehicle lease models and taxi services here on earth.
Under the agreements announced today, both SCOUT and Orbit Fab will take advantage of Benchmark’s mobility-as-a-service offering to invest more upfront capital in their in-space infrastructure while paying for on-demand propulsion from operational revenues.
SCOUT will integrate Benchmark Halcyon thrusters at little cost across its SCOUT-Vision fleet of 3D imaging and thermal sensor equipped inspection satellites. SCOUT will then pay for Benchmark mobility services to power its inspection vehicles through space to provide customers with a broad range of visual assessments, including satellite diagnostics, see and avoid maneuvers, docking approaches, and orbital realestate and regulatory reviews. Orbit Fab will, likewise, pay to have Benchmark’s mobility service maneuver its tankers into position to replenish spacecraft in need of a fill up.
“Benchmark’s mobility-as-a-service breakthrough opens the door to new possibilities for everyone, from emerging startups to legacy operators, who can take advantage of an innovative economic solution to in-space mobility and logistics to get creative and evolve the business models for their constellations as a competitive edge” said Chris Carella, Benchmark Space Systems EVP of Business Development & Strategy. “We are thrilled to sign our first mobility-as-a-service agreements with space inspection provider SCOUT and Gas Stations in Space™ company Orbit Fab. We recently partnered with Orbit Fab to launch mobile hydrogen-peroxide-based in-space refueling kits, which make MaaS offerings a great fit for OSAM missions that can have indefinite impulse requirements.”
“As a startup, we are scrutinizing every dollar as we innovate and launch our SCOUT-Vision sensor solution to provide local situational awareness services in space beginning this year and ultimately rollout our on-orbit spacecraft inspection fleet to further support OSAM initiatives,” said Eric Ingram, SCOUT CEO. “Benchmark understands the financial and technical challenges facing next generation satellite ecosystems, and its mobility as a service offering allows us to integrate Halcyon thrusters at little upfront cost and defer mobility service payments until we’re generating cash flow.”
Benchmark will debut the first Halcyon system equipped with Orbit Fab’s RAFTI refueling kit aboard the SpaceX Transporter 2 rideshare mission launching later this week (currently scheduled for Friday June 25) aboard a Falcon 9 rocket.
Benchmark Space Systems’ MaaS opens the door to OSAM innovation and can eliminate the challenge of choosing “rightsized” propulsion systems to cover every imaginable mission scenario in space. A growing number of commercial and government customers have expressed strong interest in flexible pay-as-you-go programs and refueling capabilities that when combined can further drive ROI by optimizing operational effectiveness and dramatically increasing mission endurance.
Benchmark’s taxi-like mobility service and innovations in mobile in-space refueling remove big hurdles for space companies like SCOUT and Orbit Fab by enabling them to quickly and effectively provide in-space services without concern over fuel capacity.
“Mobility-as-a-Service by Benchmark goes very well with on-orbit fuel delivery,” said Adam Harris, Vice President of Business Development at Orbit Fab. “Spacecraft of the future no longer need to worry about running out of fuel and can pass their positioning risk off to a mobility service provider. Knowing we can pay for mobility as we use it to meet our customer’s growing demand, is an innovative business model we like to support. Benchmark can get their customers where they need to go and Orbit Fab will keep those customer spacecraft fueled.”
Benchmark’s scalable, launch vehicle agnostic propulsion product and services suite supports a broad spectrum of spacecraft – from 1U CubeSats through ESPA-class (1-500kg) satellites, lunar landers, spent launcher stages, and orbital transfer vehicles (OTVs), offering far safer and faster rideshare options than electric propulsion (EP) systems, which can take months to complete their trips to orbit.
For media inquiries, contact:
Paul Sims
For Benchmark Space Systems
About Benchmark Space Systems
Benchmark Space Systems is a full life cycle in-space mobility provider, delivering products and partnerships from mission planning through decommission. Founded in 2017 to develop green propulsion technologies and flexible product configurations to market, the team’s rapid growth and focus on the development and sustainability of a democratized space domain has resulted in a product lineup suitable for a multitude of CubeSat through ESPA operations. Benchmark’s patented and proprietary innovations focus on eliminating customer pain-points and increasing asset value for unparalleled ROI. To explore how Benchmark can help improve your mission, from rapid orbit insertion to advanced RPO(Rendezvous and Proximity Operations) – visit www.benchmark-space.com.
About SCOUT
SCOUT was founded in 2019 following the loss of one of our own satellites to unknown causes. Our mission is to give spacecraft the ability to see and avoid potential threats. SCOUT's passive sensor hardware and control software enhances resolution of space objects by up to 1000 times, enabling on-board vision, detection, and avoidance. The company is a Techstars and venture-backed startup, and a 2020 MassChallenge Gold Winner. For more information, visit www.scout.space.
About Orbit Fab
Orbit Fab is a venture-backed startup with a vision of a bustling in-space economy that supports both existing space businesses (communications and Earth observation)and new industries like space tourism, manufacturing and mining. The first step is achieving ubiquitous availability of satellite propellant in Earth Orbit, expanding the operational potential of new and existing space assets and providing unprecedented business model flexibility for satellite owners. The future for satellites is no longer restricted to the fuel they are launched with. It is about getting the fuel and other materials they need, where and when they need it, to enable business models never before thought possible. For more information, visit www.orbitfab.com