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High Thrust Space Vehicles for Satellite Defense
Orbital Operations is developing a high thrust, reusable space vehicle for satellite defense. We protect critical satellites, like GPS and Military communication satellites, from adversarial threats, like China and Russia. Our vehicle will use the exact same propulsion systems that launch vehicles have used for decades by implementing a cryogenic management system. This will give us over 100x the thrust or current in-space propulsion. Ross and I have over 15 years of combined aerospace experience across NASA, Aerojet Rocketdyne, SpaceX, Blue Origin, and Relativity Space. We’ve worked side by side for more than 3.5 years developing propulsion systems, turbomachinery, and building our own respective engineering teams. We are currently working on the first demo of our unique cryo management system and intend to launch an operational vehicle by 2027.
Orbital Operations develops high-thrust space vehicles designed for satellite defense, enabling rapid maneuvering and interception capabilities in LEO to cislunar orbits. The company positions its Astraeus vehicle as defense-ready with fast delta-V and mission-speed maneuvering.
Orbital Operations manufactures high-thrust space vehicles (Astraeus) capable of intercept, defense, and repositioning in orbit. The vehicles are engineered for rapid maneuvering from LEO to cislunar space within hours, utilizing tested technologies for active cooling and storage to unlock defense capabilities in space.
Who it’s for: Defense contractors, space security/defense agencies, satellite operators needing orbital maneuvering and defensive capabilities
Milestones and press mentions, funding raised ($8.8M) for high-thrust vehicle
Ben Schleungier is the Co-founder and CEO of Orbital Operations. He started his career at NASA in propulsion before moving on to SpaceX and then as an early employee at Relativity Space. He owned the fluid systems for the TM1 rocket, the complex heat exchangers on the AeonR engine, and built the Components team and the Integrated Design and Analysis teams from the ground up. Ben has an deep understanding of rocket engine design and analysis and building high performance engineering teams.
Ross is the Co-founder and COO of Orbital Operations. He has spent his entire career in the aerospace industry, from Aerojet Rocketdyne, to Blue Origin, and most recently Relativity Space, where he owned all turbomachinery manufacturing and assembly for the Aeon-R engine. He was also responsible for the Flight Termination System test and qualification program for the TM-1 rocket. Ross has deep expertise in complex manufacturing processes, assembly, test, and chemical propulsion development.
Orbital maneuvers in hours instead of months with cryogenic propulsion
Orbital Operations announces a space startup building a high-thrust, reusable vehicle for rapid orbital maneuvers in hours, not months, targeting military and commercial users. The core products are the Cryo-Cooler (20 K), a chemical rocket engine (>5000 lbf thrust, ≥450 s Isp), and a modular vehicle for government payloads and rendezvous operations.
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