Castellón airport start-up Arkadia Space installs its propulsion system in a satellite to be launched into space in early 2025

The company participates in a mission that will allow it to put into orbit and test its technology developed at Castellón airport.

The start-up Arkadia Space will test in space, for the first time in its trajectory, its propulsion system developed at the Castellón airport, which has been installed in a satellite that will be put into orbit in early 2025.

The Councilor for the Environment, Infrastructure and Territory, Vicente Martínez Mus has held a meeting with Sergio Soler, founding partner of Arkadia Space, who has informed him about the upcoming orbital launch. The meeting was also attended by the general manager of Aerocas, Justo Vellón, and the general manager of Coasts, Ports and Airports, Marc García.

Vicente Martínez Mus has expressed his satisfaction with the progress of the company, whose activity “is in line with the commitment of the Castellón airport and the Generalitat to promote initiatives linked to talent, innovation and sustainability, as well as with the objective of contributing to the development of the aerospace sector in the Valencian Community”.

Arkadia Space is participating in a project led by the Italian aerospace company D-orbit, a leader in space transportation and logistics solutions, which plans to launch the ION satellite into orbit in early 2025, on which the propulsion system developed by Arkadia Space is installed. The satellite will be launched from the United States aboard SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket.

Through this collaboration, the start-up will be able to test and validate in space its technology, developed and tested at the Castellón airport. The propulsion module consists of a fuel tank (hydrogen peroxide), electronic systems and two engines of 5 newton each. Arkadia will become the first company in Spain to put a chemical propulsion system into orbit, according to the company.

Arkadia Space specializes in the development and validation of engines and chemical propulsion systems based on the use of green fuels. These engines are intended for space vehicles, such as satellites. The company has two test benches at the Castellón airport, where it has been operating since 2021.

Arkadia’s managers have told the minister that the company is in talks with potential customers and is submitting proposals for future missions. The company expects to close during the next year several commercial contracts based on its propulsion system. In parallel, Arkadia continues to actively participate in several projects with the European Space Agency (ESA).