en.Wedoany.com Reported - Italian space logistics company D-Orbit has signed a launch service contract with Japanese space technology firm ArkEdge Space, providing a series of launch services aboard its ION satellite vehicle. The contract was announced in Japan on July 8.
Matteo Andreas Lorenzoni, Director of D-Orbit's Orbital Access Business Unit, stated that this is one of the most significant contracts D-Orbit has signed to date, representing the company's momentum in expanding across the Asia-Pacific region. Under the contract, D-Orbit will launch ArkEdge satellites into sun-synchronous orbit in 2027 and 2028, with the specific number of launches undisclosed by both parties.
Lorenzoni noted that ArkEdge Space requires reliable, repeatable orbital access to support its constellation plans, and this contract ensures that capability. The agreement also marks an important milestone in D-Orbit's expansion in Japan, a market of strategic importance for the company's growth. Lorenzoni believes that Japan has one of the fastest-growing space sectors globally, and ArkEdge Space is one of Japan's leading satellite developers, with the partnership positioning ION as a logistics backbone for Japan's small satellite industry.
Japan's Marubeni Corp., as an investor and business partner of D-Orbit, played a key role in facilitating this launch service agreement. Lorenzoni stated that Marubeni opened the entire Asia-Pacific region for the company, not only in the Japanese market but also serving as a foundation for providing reliable logistics services in Asia's space sector. Ash Takao, General Manager of Marubeni's Space Division and D-Orbit's Sales Development Manager, said in a statement that bringing ArkEdge Space and D-Orbit together is exactly the type of partnership Marubeni aims to foster, and a step toward building a stronger space ecosystem in Japan and the Asia-Pacific region.
D-Orbit aims to become the logistics backbone for Asia's small satellite industry, which means combining Japan's capabilities in satellite design and mass production with Europe's leadership in orbital logistics. Lorenzoni pointed out that the contract highlights the industry's evolution from launching satellites into available orbits to designing constellations that require precise orbital slots. Launch and deployment are shifting from being solely about cost minimization to becoming a critical component of constellation mission execution, representing a meaningful evolution for the entire industry.
Founded in 2018, ArkEdge focuses on microsatellite constellations, offering planning and design services, mass production, and operations. The Tokyo-based company has supported constellations for maritime communications, positioning, navigation and timing, Earth observation, lunar infrastructure, and deep space exploration. D-Orbit's ION has completed 23 missions, and as of its latest launch, the orbital transfer vehicle has deployed 144 satellites and carried 83 payloads.
