Rendezvous Robotics, the CO-based startup developing self-assembling spacecraft, announced $20M in fresh funding today to support an in-space demo launching NET April 2028.<\/p>\n
MaC Venture Capital and Toyota Ventures led the round, which included additional participation from the University of Michigan Endowment, Astera Ventures, Industrious Ventures, Aurelia Foundry, ATX Venture Partners, Mana Ventures and others.<\/p>\n
Too big to fly: Satellites are rapidly outgrowing the rockets that can take them to orbit.<\/p>\n
Across the industry, satellite manufacturers are developing sats that require football-field-sized solar arrays and large-aperture antennas\u2014neither of which fit comfortably inside available rocket fairings.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
For many, the solution to this size mismatch looks like origami. But Rendezvous Robotics is taking a different approach\u2014developing technology to allow future satellites to launch in pieces that can self-assemble in space.<\/p>\n
The technology builds off nearly a decade of research by cofounder Ariel Ekblaw under the TESSERAE program, which began at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Rendezvous Robotics\u2019 version is a series of ~1 m hexagonal tiles\u2014each equipped with sensors and onboard processing capabilities. Together, these tiles use electromagnetic fields to self-assemble in the vacuum of space.<\/p>\n
While the tech was initially developed with the idea of supporting the construction of large structures in space\u2014i.e. astronaut habitats and pressurized space stations\u2014Rendezvous Robotics has since narrowed its focus to satellites (at least, in the short-term) in response to the growing demand for large birds. The tiles are designed to support different subcomponents of a typical satellite: computers, solar panels, propulsion systems, radiators etc.<\/p>\n
\u201cNobody\u2019s talking about making satellites smaller and less capable,\u201d CEO Joe Landon told Payload. \u201cThey\u2019re talking about more capable satellites, more power, more heat dissipation, bigger antennas, more sensitive communication. It\u2019s all more and more and more, and we can\u2019t do that until we figure out how to build in space.\u201d<\/p>\n
Building to a conclusion: The self-assembling tiles have flown a handful of early demo missions, including zero-G aircraft flights, one suborbital mission, and two missions to the ISS.<\/p>\n
Rendezvous Robotics\u2019 next orbital mission will launch 32 tiles to the ISS NET December to continue testing self-assembly inside the space lab.<\/p>\n
For its demo mission in 2028, Rendezvous Robotics plans to send seven tiles to the vacuum of space for the first time to validate its ability to self-assemble\u2014and reconfigure\u2014these tiles into a single functional satellite.<\/p>\n
Bigger and better: Rendezvous Robotics\u2019 goal isn\u2019t to simply build bigger for its own sake.<\/p>\n
The self-assembling tiles also give satellite operators the ability to change their configuration, add new tiles, or replace malfunctioning parts at the drop of a hat. And the in-space servicing applications are a boon for satellite operators who would otherwise need to redo entire missions.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe ability to service the satellite today really is limited to life extension, but we go far beyond that,\u201d Landon said. \u201cIf you have a satellite and something goes wrong\u2026you have to build a new satellite, [and] send it to space \u2026What we could do if something is damaged or degraded: The system can autonomously reconfigure physically into the next best available configuration.\u201d<\/p>\n
In the long term, Landon said Rendezvous Robotics could even stage tiles in orbit, in a kind of depot, which could shoot out replacement parts on demand.<\/p>\n
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