ARCSPACE secures over 2 million euros to turn disposable satellites into repairable assets

The Paris-based startup ARCSPACE has announced securing more than 2 million euros in funding to qualify an electron-beam welding and cutting technology for in-orbit operations. The company aims to service satellites that were never designed for maintenance. This technical breakthrough targets an emerging market known as orbital servicing, where satellites worth hundreds of millions of euros are often discarded after minor failures or fuel depletion despite retaining operational capabilities. The issue has grown more pressing as sectors such as telecommunications, navigation, financial transactions, logistics, and defense increasingly rely on these orbital infrastructures.

ARCSPACE’s solution involves a compact device that uses a high-energy electron beam to cut, join, and weld materials in a vacuum. While electron-beam welding is not new, the challenge lies in miniaturizing the technology, making it autonomous, and qualifying it for space constraints—such as launch vibrations, extreme temperatures, and the absence of direct human intervention. The company’s goal is not to repair satellites in the traditional sense but to enable serviceability for assets that were never built with maintenance in mind. This approach could reduce risks associated with orbital infrastructure and enhance its resilience.

The funding round, led by DEPO Ventures through its DEPO Ventures One fund, included participation from SCE Freiraum Ventures, IRDI Capital Investissement, and a network of French business angels. Guillaume Mohara, CEO and co-founder of ARCSPACE, highlighted the industry’s long-standing reliance on single-use models, where failed or fuel-depleted satellites worth hundreds of millions of euros are lost. The new funding will accelerate the development of ARCSPACE’s technology, which could create or modify interfaces on satellites not originally designed for maintenance.

The orbital servicing market, though still in its early stages, is projected to reach between 5.1 and nearly 7 billion dollars globally by 2030, according to the European Space Policy Institute. While a few operations have demonstrated the economic viability of life extension—such as Northrop Grumman’s MEV missions—these remain exceptions rather than the norm. ARCSPACE’s market potential hinges on the value of recovered satellite lifespan relative to the cost of servicing. For high-value assets like geostationary satellites, the economics are compelling, whereas low-value satellites may not justify intervention.

ARCSPACE is not alone in pursuing in-space welding. In May 2024, American company ThinkOrbital and British firm TWI conducted the first autonomous electron-beam welding in space, producing a sample later analyzed by the European Space Agency. ARCSPACE plans to demonstrate over 100 seconds of fully autonomous welding in 2027. Other companies, such as ASTROSCALE, are developing capabilities like rendezvous, proximity operations, and docking—essential prerequisites for maintenance missions. These firms could become partners or customers of ARCSPACE if they integrate its effector into their platforms.

The company has already garnered interest from over a dozen commercial enterprises and collaborates with organizations like CNES, ESA, and the European Defence Fund. The broader challenge lies in building the entire servicing chain, from welding tools to repair and refueling capabilities, to fully realize the potential of orbital servicing.

Reported by FrenchWeb.