Posted on
26/9/2024

What are Orbital Transfer Vehicles and why are they important for in-orbit services?

A simple breakdown of how OTVS work.

An Orbital Transfer Vehicle (OTV) is essentially a satellite designed to transport, deploy or host other satellites or payloads in space. Think of it as a “space van” — or our very own spacevan™ — capable of navigating to various orbits with ease.

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Why is this important?

The space industry is evolving fast. While access to specific orbits is often limited and expensive, there has been a surge in cheaper, standardized launch options. This opens up space access to more players, but not everyone has the expertise, time, or resources to build their own satellite or to launch it directly to a specific orbit.

This is where OTVs comes in!

OTVs provide access to space by handling integration, transportation, launches, and orbital maneuvers, so you can focus entirely on your technology. Whether you're testing new technologies, conducting experiments, or operating payloads, you can do so without the complexity and cost of a full satellite mission.

What services do they provide?

OTVs can provide a range of in-orbit services including payload hosting, satellite deployment, rendezvous and proximity operations (meeting up with other satellites), satellite refueling, life extension, deorbiting and much more!

Check out our spacedrop in-orbit delivery serviceand our spacehost hosted payload service to learn more.

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