en.Wedoany.com Report on Mar 28th, Swiss startup Pave Space recently announced the completion of a $40 million seed funding round to develop a heavy orbital transfer vehicle. This heavy orbital transfer vehicle aims to transport satellites from Low Earth Orbit (LEO) to Medium Earth Orbit, Geostationary Orbit, or lunar orbit in just a few hours instead of months, addressing logistics bottlenecks in the space economy.

Pave Space CEO Julie Böhning stated that this approximately 20-metric-ton orbital transfer vehicle can transport payloads of up to 5 metric tons in less than a day. Currently, most satellites are deployed in LEO, and those destined for higher orbits typically rely on electric propulsion systems, taking 6 to 12 months to reach their destination. Böhning noted, "This heavy orbital transfer vehicle is compatible with all heavy launchers used for LEO insertion, making it a cost-effective and flexible tier in space transportation."

Pave Space was founded in 2024 by Böhning and CTO Jérémy Marciacq, and the team now consists of about 40 engineers and space industry experts. The company has already signed eight reservation agreements and is in discussions with multiple industry players. Böhning emphasized, "In the European market, high-energy orbits like Geostationary Orbit are becoming increasingly attractive, enabling countries to deploy sovereign communication satellites. Access to these orbits must be both fast and cost-effective."

Pave Space plans to fly a precursor vehicle named Graze in October to validate internal avionics and conduct the first ignition of the main propulsion thruster chamber at a test site in the Swiss Alps by the end of the year. An integrated spacecraft is expected to fly later next year. This funding round was led by Visionaries Club and Creandum, with participation from several investment institutions including Lombard Odier Investment Managers.