Washington based startup Gravitics signed a $125 million contract with Axiom Space to expand latter planned space station.
Gravitics aim to become manufacturer of private space stations with design for modules that have mega interior volume in standalone spacecraft.
Washington based startup Gravitics has signed a $125 million contract to expand Axiom Space planned space station the latest deal in private market for orbiting.
Axiom is one of various companies building private stations as NASA plans for International Space Station to end its time in orbit.
Axiom has modules of its space station being built by Italian aerospace contractor Thales Alenia.
Gravitics CEO and founder Colin Doughan told media “Working with station operator that will have hardware on orbit sonnest is exciting development.
The 50 employee company based in northern suburb of Seattle aims to provide space station modules effectively building blocks of orbiting haitats as plug and play product line that can launch on various rockets.
The agreement between Gravitics and Axiom founded in 2021 represent the startup most significant yet.
Gravitics raised a total of $20 million in venture funding as it looks to makes its mark as manufacturer of private space stations.
The space station modules Gravitics is designing range from 9feet to 26feet in diameter.
The largest module which company boast will have interior volume in standalone spacecraft.
Gravitics has been working on prototypes as well as testing key parts like test firing its propulsion system and pressure testing module prototypes.
Gravitics is flyinf some of its components on ISS this year for plans and testing to have subscale spacecraft launched by 2026.
The company signed an agreement with NASA on new approaches to testing large spacecraft as well as early Space Force development contract.
Space Force budget is balloning beyond NASA and it would not stop Doughlan adds.
The Axiom deal is catalyst for Gravitics growth. Doughan sad. Company plans to double its head count in coming months and kick off new round of fundraising.
NASA Commercial LEO Destinations or CLD program has been doling out development contracts to companies building space stations in anticipation of the ISS international destruction at end of decade.
Axiom was first to win a NASA contract for building space station modules and Gravitics would connect its spacecraft later this decade.