French SpaceTech startup ArcSpace secures over €2 million for in-orbit satellite servicing and repair

ArcSpace, a Paris-based SpaceTech startup developing technology for in-orbit satellite repair, assembly, and servicing, has closed a funding round of over €2 million to support the startup’s next stage of growth.

The round was led by DEPO Ventures through its DEPO Ventures One fund, alongside SCE Freiraum Ventures, IRDI Capital Investissement, and a French Business Angels network.

“Artificial intelligence, defence technologies, and space are among the sectors where Europe’s future champions are being built. ArcSpace offers a breakthrough solution capable of repairing satellites that were never intended to be serviced. This capability significantly reduces risk and strengthens the resilience of critical infrastructure that our societies increasingly depend upon. At DEPO Ventures, we focus precisely on innovations of this kind with global relevance and long-term strategic impact,” said Petr Šíma, Partner at DEPO Ventures.

Founded in 2022, ArcSpace provides manufacturing tools and processes for use in space. Its proprietary Electron Beam technology enables joining, welding, and cutting directly on board spacecraft and lunar rovers, for applications ranging from in-orbit servicing to assembly and manufacturing.

According to the company, until now, once a satellite malfunctioned, ran out of fuel, or was damaged, it became a useless and hazardous piece of space debris. It further notes that space agencies have so far relied on complex mechanisms with many critical points of failure, which also require extensive interface standardisation, to manage the end-of-life of spacecraft or extend the life of high-value space assets. As a result, satellites not specifically designed for servicing could not be repaired or modified once in orbit.

ArcSpace has developed a compact tool that utilises high-energy electron beam technology. The system can be deployed immediately aboard a spacecraft and produces no hazardous waste during operation. The company claims that it can safely and precisely cut, join, and weld materials even in deep space vacuum.

The company highlights that its greatest advantage for in-orbit servicing lies in its ability to capture and repair satellites that were never originally designed for servicing. Guillaume Mohara, CEO and co-founder of ArcSpace, said, “The space industry has traditionally operated on a one-time-use model. When something failed or a satellite ran out of fuel, infrastructure worth hundreds of millions of euros was lost. At ArcSpace, we believe that the ability to manufacture, repair, and modify equipment directly in orbit is the only way to build a sustainable and secure space economy.

“Our technology recently passed demanding space environmental testing, including high-vacuum and mechanical vibrations. This new funding will allow us to accelerate in-space validation of our solution, demonstrating more than 100 seconds of fully autonomous welding aboard a spacecraft in 2027, a world first.” ArcSpace mentions that its solution has already attracted interest from more than a dozen commercial companies. To date, the startup has also established collaborations with institutional partners, including the French space agency (CNES), the European Space Agency (ESA), and the European Defence Fund (EDF).

The company plans to use this capital to support the startup’s next stage of growth, primarily through team expansion, qualification of its flight hardware, and preparations for its first demonstration mission planned for 2027. The company aims to bring its product to market by 2028.

ArcSpace’s roadmap begins with near-term in-orbit servicing effectors for customer life extension, de-orbiting, and dual-use missions starting in 2028, then scales the same technology to support in-orbit and lunar assembly of large structures, as well as in-space manufacturing.

“The European Commission has identified In-Orbit Servicing and Operations (ISOS) as one of the foundations of Europe’s future space economy, backed by substantial investment plans leading to the ISOS Pilot Mission by 2030. ArcSpace is building exactly the kind of breakthrough capability Europe will need to turn this vision into operational reality,” concluded Justyna Redelkiewicz, Space Tech Venture Partner at DEPO Ventures.