Orbion: Autumn in Motion

On orbit with Capella

We’re thrilled to be on orbit with Capella Space — a milestone that reflects deep collaboration, engineering rigor, and most importantly, a shared vision with their team. We’re proud that Capella trusted us to propel their spacecraft, and our Aurora systems will help Capella maintain repeat ground track orbits to support InSAR analysis and coherent change detection.

Where is the Capella-17 satellite right now? Click here to see: Track Capella-17

Read more about the Capella-17 “No Cloudy Days” mission: Full story

The coveted Kuriki Award is back in the U.S.

We’re proud to celebrate Scott Hall, Ph.D., honored in London at the 39th International Electric Propulsion Conference (IEPC) with the Kuriki Award for Young Professionals.

The Kuriki Award, sponsored by the Electric Rocket Propulsion Society (ERPS), was established in 2017 in honor of Dr. Kuriki’s extensive contributions to the field of electric propulsion and ERPS governance. Presented at each IEPC, the award recognizes the most promising young professional whose work demonstrates both technical excellence and the potential to shape the future of the field.

This year’s Kuriki Award was presented to a U.S. recipient for the first time since 2018, in recognition of “contributions to the development and qualification of high-power and commercial Hall effect thrusters.”

Orbion X Copper Harbor Trails Fest

Why does a space company become the title sponsor of a 700-person mountain bike race in the northernmost part of Michigan? Because we live and work in one of the most amazing places on Earth. We choose to be here, we love where we work, and after long days designing propulsion systems, you’ll find us on these same trails. Supporting Trails Fest isn’t just sponsorship for us — it’s personal. It celebrates the energy and spirit that inspire our work and make this region an extraordinary place to live, work, and play. Orbion is proud to support an event that embodies passion, adventure, and community, and showcases everything that makes the Keweenaw so special (including a cool astronaut-on-a-mountain-bike logo!)

Read the release here: Full story

From intern to rocket scientist

This summer, Orbion had the privilege of hosting nearly two dozen of the best and brightest future rocket scientists from across the country. For months, our labs were buzzing with their energy, curiosity, and ideas. We already miss the ones who’ve returned to campus, we’re grateful for those who will be back, and we’re fortunate that a few never left — choosing to continue their journey with us. These students represent more than just summer help; they are the pipeline of future talent that will carry propulsion technology forward. We’re proud to play a part in their path, and grateful for the mark they’ve left.

Michigan Tech’s first-year engineering students (all of them)

Speaking of talent pipeline, CEO Brad King addressed a packed audience of Michigan Technological University’s first-year engineering students, emphasizing responsibility, opportunity, and the importance of breaking down challenges into solvable steps that lead to lasting solutions. Big challenges await — and these students are ready to take them on.

SmallSat in Utah

Orbion was stoked to be part of this year’s Small Satellite Conference in Salt Lake City. The 100-degree heat outside didn’t slow us down — in fact, it felt fitting for a company that runs on ion propulsion. Inside the hall, our team had the chance to share what we’ve been building, and connect with both longtime collaborators and new faces in the small sat community. We’re grateful for the conversations, the energy, and the opportunity to be part of an industry that keeps pushing forward.