IENAI Space is a Spanish company founded in 2019 that is focused on providing in-space mobility solutions for small satellites, including CubeSats and nanosatellites. The company is headquartered in Madrid and has raised over $1.2 million in funding from investors like Inveready, ESA BIC Madrid Region, and Airbus BizLab.
IENAI Space is developing two main products – a customizable electric propulsion system called ATHENA and a mission analysis software called 360. These two products work together to help small satellite operators optimize their missions by selecting the right propulsion system and planning optimal trajectories.
ATHENA Electric Propulsion System
ATHENA is IENAI Space’s proprietary electric propulsion system based on electrospray thruster technology. It uses an ionic liquid propellant that is highly efficient, compact, scalable, and customizable.
Some key features of the ATHENA propulsion system:
- Highly efficient: It can achieve thrust-to-power ratios between 30-50 μN/W and propulsive efficiencies between 30-40%. This is better than many other small satellite propulsion systems.
- Compact and scalable: With its electrospray technology, ATHENA thrusters can be made very small, with units as small as 0.5U (half a CubeSat unit). The technology also allows the thrusters to scale up or down easily.
- Customizable: ATHENA can be tailored to meet the specific needs of a satellite platform and mission. Parameters like thrust, specific impulse, input power range, etc. can be adapted.
- Flight proven: A prototype ATHENA thruster flew to orbit in October 2022 aboard Firefly Aerospace’s first launch, making it the first European electrospray thruster in orbit.
The company is continuing to mature the technology to make the thrusters more robust and reliable for commercial use. ATHENA Nano variant designed for 3-50 kg satellites is expected to be commercially available in 2024.
360 Mission Analysis Software
To complement its propulsion system, IENAI Space has also developed 360 – a cloud-based mission analysis and optimization software. 360 helps satellite designers and operators make informed decisions when selecting and integrating a propulsion system.
360 enables concurrent engineering of the propulsion system with other satellite subsystems right from the early design phases. Its key capabilities include:
- Defining propulsive requirements for different mission scenarios
- Performing trade-off studies between different propulsion options
- Simulating operations and optimizing trajectories under spacecraft constraints
- Interfacing with the IENAI GO thruster design software for an integrated analysis
By utilizing 360, satellite builders can ensure that the selected propulsion system and operational plan is optimized for their platform constraints and mission objectives.
Applications
Leveraging its two core products of ATHENA and 360, IENAI Space provides complete end-to-end solutions for in-space mobility of small satellites. Their offerings cater to the following applications:
Orbit maintenance: Performing regular orbit correction and station keeping maneuvers to counter disturbances
Orbit changes: Executing large orbital transfers like moving to higher altitudes or inclined orbits
Constellation spacing: Maintaining proper spacing between satellites in a constellation
Collision avoidance: Detecting collision risks and planning evasive maneuvers
Deorbiting: Lowering satellite orbit at end-of-life for faster decay
For each application, IENAI Space can recommend a suitable ATHENA configuration and use 360 to simulate and optimize the operational plan. They also offer support for integrating and operating the propulsion system on the spacecraft.
Services
IENAI Space also provides services like:
- Custom propulsion system design
- Detailed mission analysis studies
- Ground testing support
- Launch and in-orbit commissioning
- On-orbit operations support
Funding and Investors
IENAI Space has raised over 1 million Euros in funding so far. Their seed funding round in 2021 was led by Spanish VC firm Inveready. The round also saw participation from ESA’s business incubation center BIC Madrid and Airbus’s BizLab accelerator.
This external funding has been essential for IENAI Space to develop and demonstrate their technology with support from the European Space Agency. The company was also awarded two ESA contracts in 2023 worth 1.2 million Euros to further mature the ATHENA propulsion system.
Partners and Customers
IENAI Space has partnered with companies across the space value chain to advance its technology and demonstrate applications.
On the satellite platform side, they have collaborated with smallsat manufacturers like EnduroSat to integrate their propulsion solution on upcoming missions. The propulsion system will be demonstrated on an EnduroSat 12U satellite.
They have also partnered with Precious Payload to demonstrate their software and propulsion system working together to optimize launch and deployment. Additionally, they are working with space data analytics firm Neuraspace to develop an end-to-end collision avoidance solution.
While most of their existing engagements are with NewSpace companies, IENAI Space is also looking to cater to more traditional space organizations and satellite operators. Their technology promises high performance paired with flexibility to open up new possibilities for small satellite missions.
Growth Prospects and Future Roadmap
With the small satellite market growing, IENAI Space is well-positioned to capitalize on the demand for propulsion systems. As satellite constellations get larger and orbital congestion increases, having efficient and scalable propulsion will be key to ensuring long term satellite operations.
The company aims to commercially launch the ATHENA Nano propulsion unit in 2024 after completing qualifications. They plan to offer it in different configurable options to meet smallsat needs.
In parallel, new capabilities will be added to their 360TM software for advanced modeling and increased automation. The software will integrate inputs from space traffic monitoring systems to enable features like real-time collision avoidance.
In the long run, IENAI Space wants to become the go-to provider for end-to-end space mobility solutions. Their vision is to help satellites of all sizes leverage advanced electric propulsion to reach new destinations and harness the full economic potential of space.
Summary
IENAI Space is an example of NewSpace innovation coming out of Europe. Leveraging the latest technologies like electrospray propulsion and cloud software, they are creating customizable solutions so that even small satellite operators can benefit from high performance electric propulsion.
With strong government backing, growing industry partnerships, and a growing addressable market, the company is poised for growth in the coming years.
