Orbion Space Technology said on Tuesday it has delivered 33 Aurora Hall-effect electric propulsion modules to York Space Systems, supplying flight-ready hardware for spacecraft that will operate within an upcoming U.S. military satellite constellation.
The delivery reflects the growing emphasis on high-volume, standardized production of critical satellite components as the Pentagon accelerates deployment of proliferated space architectures. Orbion manufactures the Aurora systems through a vertically integrated process at its Michigan facility, where design, qualification and acceptance testing are conducted under one roof to support rapid and repeatable output.
While the specific program was not disclosed, York Space Systems is a major contractor for the Space Development Agency (SDA), which is building out the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture (PWSA). York is currently producing dozens of satellites for the SDA’s Tranche 1 and Tranche 2 Transport Layers, intended to provide a resilient, low-latency mesh network for military communications and missile warning.
The propulsion modules will support maneuvering and long-duration operations for small satellites performing national security missions. Electric propulsion allows operators to reduce propellant mass compared with chemical systems, enabling either heavier payloads or longer mission lifetimes—capabilities viewed as essential for sustaining large, distributed constellations.
Aurora is a fully integrated Hall-effect propulsion system that combines a magnetically shielded thruster, power processing unit, propellant management assembly and electrical harnessing. The system is throttleable between 100 and 300 watts, can operate on xenon or krypton, and is designed for spacecraft weighing 70 kilograms or more. Orbion says the system can deliver exhaust velocities of up to 15,000 meters per second and includes software-controlled features that allow higher thrust on demand for collision avoidance.
Brad King, co-founder and chief executive of Orbion, said the shipment reflects the company’s focus on consistency rather than one-off milestones. “Our customers depend on us to deliver propulsion systems that work as expected on orbit, every time,” King said. “That consistency is what builds trust and enables programs to scale.”
Michael Lajczok, chief technology officer of York Space Systems, said dependable suppliers are critical for defense-focused constellations. “Building and sustaining national security space architectures requires partners who are proven in flight and reliable in production,” Lajczok said, adding that Orbion has demonstrated the execution needed for complex military missions.
Orbion, which holds AS9100D certification, has positioned itself to support U.S. defense and commercial programs that require the annual delivery of hundreds of propulsion systems as space architectures shift toward larger, more resilient constellations.
