Argo Space Corporation, founded by three brothers and former SpaceX veterans, has set its sights on building an in-space transportation network with reusable spacecraft propelled by water harvested from the moon. The startup’s aim is to unlock a bustling economy beyond low Earth orbit (LEO) by addressing key limitations of the space economy.
Existing orbital transport vehicles are primarily focused on LEO and are not designed for more demanding orbits like geosynchronous (GEO) or cislunar. Additionally, none of these vehicles are reusable, and there’s no method of refueling them in space. Argo’s solution is to develop a spacecraft called Argonaut, designed to be reusable and refuelable, with the ability to perform energy-intensive transfers to GEO and beyond. The company plans to harvest and store lunar water in-space for refueling.
Argo’s innovative approach has attracted investors’ attention, leading to a $2 million funding round led by Type One Ventures, with participation from Boost VC, Stellar Ventures, and Earthrise Ventures. The three brothers’ combined experience at SpaceX is impressive, with CTO Ryan Carlisle most recently acting as director of launch engineering, where he led large engineering teams on projects including Falcon and Starship.
One of the advantages of using water as spacecraft fuel is that it can be stored for long periods, making it a useful propellant for in-space refueling depots and long-duration missions. Cryogenic propellants like liquid oxygen, methane, and hydrogen need to be stored at extremely low temperatures to remain in a liquid state, which affects the material properties of propulsion system components like actuators and seals.
While Argo has figured out its lunar water extraction process, the company still needs to get hardware on the moon to prove out its plan. The company plans to generate revenue from in-space transportation services with Argonauts that use water from Earth as propellant until it can harvest lunar water. The spacecraft could also be used for satellite inspections or even orbital debris removal, thanks to its ability to rendezvous with other objects in space.
Argo’s transportation network could solve the pain point for small satellites getting access to higher energy orbits beyond LEO, and its initial demonstration mission is scheduled for late 2024 to prove out the propulsion technology and spacecraft capture mechanism.
Argo Space Corporation’s use of lunar water propulsion could revolutionize the space transport industry by enabling energy-intensive transfers to GEO and beyond and unlocking new possibilities for space exploration.
