UARX Space will carry Dawn’s Docking and Fluidic Transfer (DFT) Port for integration on UARX Space’s upcoming OSSIE OTV, launching in 2026.
The DFT Port, developed by Dawn Aerospace, is the hardware foundation of the company’s Loop Network: a scalable, on-orbit, refueling architecture designed and built in Europe. The mission marks a major step toward establishing a cooperative and refuellable European satellite ecosystem.
OSSIE, the first orbital transfer vehicle (OTV) built entirely in Spain and one of only six in the world, continues to reach new milestones, positioning UARX Space as a leading company in the technological revolution of orbital transport.
On its first flight, planned for 2026, OSSIE will become the first OTV to carry a Docking and Fluid Transfer (DFT) port, developed by Dawn Aerospace. In this way, UARX Space and Dawn Aerospace demonstrate that it is possible to build responsibly without losing technological efficiency; proposing an in-flight refueling system for future OTVs.
Supported by several European Commission programs currently under evaluation, Dawn’s Loop Network aims to extend spacecraft lifetimes, reduce orbital debris, and enable sustainable mission operations aligned with the EU Space Act, ESA’s Zero Debris Charter, and ISO 24113:2023 standards.
For this first mission, the OSSIE OTV will carry a structural-only version of the DFT Port, paving the way for future spacecraft to adopt full fluidic functionality. This approach demonstrates both technical readiness and regulatory foresight: establishing the baseline for refueling and servicing capability once European sustainability and safety frameworks fully mature.
The collaboration between UARX and Dawn Aerospace extends beyond hardware. Dawn’s SatDrive propulsion system will power the OSSIE spacecraft, while the integrated docking port open the door for the satellite to be future-ready for inspection, servicing, or de-orbit operations. Together, these technologies form part of a new generation of responsible European spacecraft designed for longevity and accountability in orbit.
Dawn’s Loop Network will launch before 2030, enabling customers equipped with the DFT interface to access in-orbit refueling and end-of-life servicing options. With OSSIE, UARX and Dawn are demonstrating that foresight and responsibility can go hand in hand; turning today’s design choices into tomorrow’s sustainable space infrastructure.
OSSIE is evidence of European operators building responsibly while staying ahead of evolving regulation. The same interface that enables de-orbit today will enable refueling tomorrow; that’s the foundation of the Loop network.,” said Jeroen Wink, CRO and Co-founder at Dawn Aerospace.
OSSIE demonstrates that UARX is committed to innovation in every sense, being the first OTV made in Spain and, with this new DFT, the first worldwide that will be able to take this docking device into orbit,” said Andrés Villa, CTO and Co-founder at UARX Space
