DENVER — March 12, 2026 — York Space Systems (NYSE: YSS) announced today the acquisition of Michigan-based Orbion Space Technology, a move that formally integrates a critical propulsion supplier into York’s rapidly expanding defense and commercial production line.
The acquisition follows a $629 million initial public offering (IPO) in late January and solidifies York’s position as a Tier 1 defense prime by securing the supply of high-performance plasma propulsion systems.
Consolidation Amid Proliferated Architecture Scaling
The acquisition is a strategic response to growing constellation-scale demands across the sector. York, currently a primary contractor for the SDA’s Tranche 1 Transport Layer, has moved to insulate its supply chain from external bottlenecks. In September 2025, York became the first prime to successfully deploy 21 satellites for Tranche 1 within hours of launch, highlighting the need for consistent hardware delivery.
Prior to the merger, the two companies maintained a deep operational relationship. On January 13, 2026, Orbion delivered 33 Aurora propulsion systems to York for an undisclosed national security mission, demonstrating the high-rate manufacturing synergy that drove the acquisition.
Executive Perspectives on Resilience
“Building and sustaining national security constellations requires partners who are both proven in the space environment and reliable in their production schedules,” said Dirk Wallinger, CEO of York Space Systems. “By bringing Orbion’s world-class plasma propulsion expertise in-house, we are doubling down on our ‘proliferation at scale’ model and ensuring the warfighter has a resilient, turnkey solution.”
Technical Capabilities of the Aurora System
The acquisition brings the Aurora Hall-effect thruster (HET) system fully into York’s S-CLASS and M-CLASS satellite bus architectures. Key specifications of the Aurora system include:
- Operational Modes: Fully throttleable from 100 to 300 watts.
- Propellant Flexibility: Designed to operate on either high-efficiency xenon or cost-effective krypton gas.
- Agility: Software-controlled “dual-mode” capability allows for fuel-efficient station-keeping with rapid-burst power for collision avoidance.
- SWaP-C Optimization: Features a dry mass of 8.3 kilograms and a “ZeroTorque” configuration to prevent interference with sensitive spacecraft sensors.
Integration Timeline and Michigan Operations
York has confirmed that Orbion will maintain its headquarters and manufacturing facility in Houghton, Michigan. The site is expected to continue scaling its production to hundreds of units annually to support both York’s internal programs and existing commercial propulsion customers. The transition of leadership and staff is expected to be completed by Q3 2026, ahead of the next major launch campaign for the SDA’s Tranche 2 missions.
