Turion Space, a startup based in Irvine, California, has been awarded a $1.9 million contract from SpaceWERX, the U.S. Space Force’s technology arm, to develop an autonomous spacecraft docking and maneuvering system. The goal of the contract is to advance technologies for dealing with uncooperative space objects and aiding in the deorbit of inactive satellites.
Turion’s CEO and co-founder Ryan Westerdahl stated that the company is concentrating on in-space mobility and non-Earth imaging. In June 2023, Turion launched its first satellite, Droid.001, a 32-kilogram spacecraft meant for space situational awareness. The data from this satellite is being included in the Space Force’s Unified Data Library.
In addition to hosting payloads for constant revenue generation, Turion plans to provide a debris removal service in the future. Westerdahl has disclosed plans for a demonstration in 2026 that will showcase a Droid mothership carrying “micro-Droid” satellites designed under the SpaceWERX contract. These micro-Droids will use grapplers to capture debris objects partially funded by NASA.
Turion’s next satellite launch, scheduled for February, will demonstrate the larger Droid Alpha bus. Westerdahl predicts that by 2027, Turion will be manufacturing 45 satellites annually. The enhanced mobility ion thrusters will be co-produced with Desert Works Propulsion, a specialist in electric propulsion for space applications. So far, Turion Space has raised nearly $20 million in venture capital