Top 11 Orbital Transfer startups

Updated: May 03, 2026
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These startups are providing orbital transfer services, enabling satellites to reach their intended operational orbits or facilitating the disposal of defunct satellites into graveyard orbits.
1
Impulse Space
Country: USA | Funding: $525M
Impulse Space develops orbital maneuvering vehicles for last-mile cargo delivery.
2
Apex Space
Country: USA | Funding: $522M
Apex manufactures smallsat buses for commercial and government customers.
3
Terran Orbital
Country: USA | Funding: $401.6M
Terran Orbital creates cutting-edge lineup of standard satellite bus platforms, setting a new standard in satellite technology and innovation. These ITAR-compliant bus classes come with interchangeable components and modules, allowing you to customize and configure your satellite for various sizes and mission requirements.
4
D-Orbit
Country: Italy | Funding: $201.2M
D-Orbit is the first in-space transportation company, providing solutions for moving, precise deployment and removing satellites.
5
Starfish Space
Country: USA | Funding: $174.6M
Starfish Space develops and manufactures autonomous spacecraft that perform satellite servicing missions in orbit. This small, affordable servicing vehicle is capable of extending the lifespan of satellites and disposing them. For example, it can dock with a satellite and use its own fuel to maintain its functionality, perform in-space inspections, relocate satellites into orbit and provide logistics services, repair and upgrade components, perform in-space assembly and manufacturing. The company has developed guidance and control software, binocular computer vision system for navigation, docking device that can be attached to virtually any flat surface.
6
Exotrail
Country: France | Funding: $75.4M
Exotrail provides orbital services for small satellites, including "last mile" delivery (from payload integration to final orbit placement), satellite inspection, and end-of-life management. The company also develops flexible and powerful electric propulsion systems for satellites based on Hall-effect technology. In Exotrail's ion engine electrons emitted by the cathode are captured by a magnetic field and used to ionize the propellant, creating plasma in the discharge channel. The plasma is then accelerated to generate thrust by the electric field created between the anode and cathode. Hall-effect thrusters have been in use for decades and are installed on most large satellites. They combine the high impulse of an electric propulsion system with a very high thrust-to-power ratio.
7
Rocket Factory Augsburg
Country: Germany | Funding: $37.3M
RFA - Rocket Factory Augsburg is a space technologies company offering fast & flexible launch solutions for satellite constellations.
8
Atomos Space
Country: USA | Funding: $21.9M
Atomos Space is an aerospace company building and developing orbital transfer vehicles.
9
Argo Space
Country: USA | Funding: $9.9M
Argo Space develops small reusable spacecraft transfer vehicles and the technology for harvesting water from lunar regolith to create an abundant source of in-space propellant
10
Orbital Express
Country: Russia
Orbital Express intends to democratize space logistics from in-orbit satellite services to interplanetary missions for sustainable space exploration that enables new markets In-Space Economy sector.
Boris Maslennikov
Editor: Boris Maslennikov
Boris Maslennikov is a senior editor for Space-Startups. He has spent more than a decade covering the global space industry as a business journalist. He earned a Ph.D. in planetary sciences from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a bachelor’s degree with honors in geophysics and planetary science from the California Institute of Technology. In his free time, Boris enjoys studying history and mathematics, with a particular interest in the history of mathematics. You can contact Boris at borismaslenikov(at)space-startups(dot)com