Neumann Space will join a project which aims to use space junk as a fuel source

Adelaide-based Neumann Space has made the first sale of its metal-fuelled satellite propulsion system, joining a project which aims to recycle space junk as fuel.

Dr Paddy Neumann from Neumann Space with the company’s metal-fuelled propulsion system.

Neumann Space’s satellite propulsion system will be integrated into a US project which aims to use space junk as fuel, with the Adelaide firm announcing its first commercial sale.

The company, which is based at the Lot Fourteen start-up hub, said it had struck an agreement with Colorado-based CisLunar Industries to help progress a $US1.7m project funded by the US Space Force – America’s military arm tasked with operating in space.

The project envisions capturing space junk and processing it through CisLunar’s Modular Space Foundries, to create fuel which can then be used in the Neumann Drive, which was patented in 2015 by Dr Paddy Neumann.

Neumann Space chief executive Herve Astier said the deal represented the company’s first commercial sales and exports.

“Our company’s mission is to enable the sustainable economic development of space, and we are proud that our propulsion system will play a role in this project as it seeks to create the foundations for a new circular economy in space,’’ he said.

Dr Paddy Neumann looking down the barrel of a vacuum chamber with the Neumann Drive inside.

“The supply agreement with CisLunar Industries represents the first commercial sale and first export of the Neumann Drive and we are confident that this milestone marks the beginning of an accelerated role for our company in providing off-the-shelf, safe and easy-to-integrate electric propulsion systems to improve mobility in space.”

The company said the Neumann Drive was selected for the project due its unique propulsion

technology which uses solid metallic propellant.

“Neumann Space has previously conducted a series of tests demonstrating that its patented pulsed cathodic arc thruster technology can use in-space recycled metal as fuel,’’ the company said.

CisLunar Industries chief executive Gary Calnan said as the industrial-space economy grew, and as space became “more contested”, the Space Force has a need to be able to manoeuvre assets “without regret’’.

“Our Modular Space Foundry and our partners’ capabilities allow us to turn space debris into

propellant for the Neumann Drive, which can then be used to retrieve more space debris, support the Space Force SAML (space access, mobility, and logistics) mission, and provide materials for in-space manufacturing and construction.

“With the Space Force’s foresight to invest in our combined capabilities, what we are creating now lays the foundation for a full-scale industrial economy in space.”

Other partners in the project include Colorado State University and Astroscale US.

Neumann Space expects to have its first propulsion system in space in June, as part of a separate project.

Originally published as Neumann Space will join a project which aims to use space junk as a fuel source