Lúnasa Space and Rocket Factory Augsburg AG (RFA) are joining forces to offer flexible and cost-effective launch services to Small Satellite customers. Both companies mutually benefit from each other’s experience, methods and networks.

The common goal of both companies is to provide small satellite operators with flexible and cost-effective access to space. The MoU reflects a mutual desire to work closely together to facilitate the launch of small satellites into their final operational orbit. The RFA ONE launch vehicle, developed by RFA, will be used to deliver the reusable orbital transfer vehicle (OTV) “VIA” to near-earth orbit as well as provide resupply flights.

The agreement was finalized back in early October, now to be announced at the Space Tech Expo Europe in Bremen, Germany.

“Lúnasa and RFA’s objectives are well aligned in the desire to enable SMEs, universities and other entities to innovate and provide services and technologies otherwise dominated by larger companies due to prohibitive cost of access to space. We believe this will remove some of the barriers to entry and stimulate the space market with even more competitive and cutting edge products whilst creating more jobs,” says Amin Chabi, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Lúnasa.

“From the beginning, we designed our RFA ONE to be compatible with other transfer vehicles. Lúnasa’s reusable “VIA” are optimal complements to our own launch vehicle technology and allow us to offer our launch services in an even more diversified and tailored way,” says Dr. Stefan Tweraser, Chief Executive Officer of RFA.

Jörn Spurmann, Chief Commercial Officer of RFA, adds, “The compatibility of our rocket with a wide range of OTV’s is a key element of our business case and goes hand in hand with our vision of making space accessible to everyone – easily, quickly and with low cost.” 

About Rocket Factory

Rocket Factory Augsburg was founded in 2018 with the mission to significantly reduce launch costs in the space industry. The company’s goal is to develop a launch vehicle prototype by the end of 2022 which can launch satellites into low Earth orbits on a weekly basis at unmatched prices. The RFA ONE launch vehicle combines three key competitive advantages: a highly cost-efficient architecture using industrial automation and lowest-possible development costs, precise in-orbit delivery by its orbital stage, and superior propulsion systems using staged combustion.

About Lúnasa

Lúnasa Space is a Space-Tech start-up based in London and founded in early 2021 by Amin Chabi, CEO. The company brings together a team of highly skilled space engineers to realize the company’s vision: With its reusable OTV, Lúnasa Space aims to accelerate the world’s transition to affordable, reliable and sustainable access to space. The platform “VIA” uses modern space technology to be transformed into a reusable vehicle where it can deploy several rideshare missions over its lifetime and make access to space very affordable and frequent for the small satellite industry.