D-Orbit
Founded in 2011 by Luca Rossettini and Renato Panesi, D-Orbit pioneered space logistics as the first company addressing the industry's transportation needs.
- Founded
- 2011
- Headquarters
- Como, Italy
- Ownership
- Private
Quick Facts
About D-Orbit
Founded in 2011 by Luca Rossettini and Renato Panesi, D-Orbit pioneered space logistics as the first company addressing the industry's transportation needs. The company developed the ION Satellite Carrier, a proprietary orbital transfer vehicle providing last-mile delivery for satellites, first launched commercially in September 2020. ION performs complex orbital maneuvers including orbit raising, plane changes, and RAAN shifts, deploying satellites individually into custom orbital slots while reducing time-to-operations by up to 85% and constellation launch costs by up to 40%.
Through 11 successful missions as of June 2023, D-Orbit has deployed over 100 satellites and demonstrated unprecedented capabilities like combined inclination and RAAN changes never before performed by an OTV. ION also hosts third-party payloads for in-orbit demonstrations and provides Space Cloud Services for edge computing and data processing in space.
Products and product lines
| Product | Line | Note |
|---|---|---|
| ION Satellite Carrier | Orbital transfer vehicle | D-Orbit's proprietary last-mile delivery spacecraft; the 23rd commercial ION mission, 'Above the Summer Sky,' launched 7 July 2026 on SpaceX Transporter-17, taking total payloads deployed since 2020 to almost 230. |
| GEA (General Expansion Architecture) | In-orbit servicing platform (GEO) | Satellite platform for managing the attitude control of another spacecraft in orbit, covering life-extension, repositioning, repair and end-of-life disposal; developed under a EUR 119.6 million ESA contract signed 14 October 2024, with a first RISE mission targeted for 2028. |
| MORPH | In-orbit servicing / satellite refurbishment | ESA selected D-Orbit as prime contractor on 24 March 2026 for the MORPH satellite-refurbishment program. |
| Space Cloud / edge computing services | In-orbit data processing | Onboard computing and data services hosted on ION vehicles; the July 2026 mission carried payloads testing data-integrity, 6G/5G-Advanced non-terrestrial network technology (Qualcomm QSAT1) and secure data provenance (Stardome SNS). |
| Planetek Group | Earth observation / geospatial analytics (acquired) | D-Orbit acquired 100% of Planetek's shares on 4 April 2025 to add Earth observation, geospatial analytics and AI-powered in-orbit data processing capability, retaining Planetek's operational autonomy. |
Timeline
- 2024 D-Orbit closes the second and final tranche of its Series C round at EUR 150 million (about $166 million) on 27 September, led by Marubeni Corporation. [source]
- 2024 ESA awards D-Orbit a EUR 119.6 million contract on 14 October to develop the GEA in-orbit servicing spacecraft for geostationary orbit, targeting a first RISE mission in 2028. [source]
- 2025 D-Orbit announces on 4 April that it has acquired 100% of Italian Earth observation firm Planetek Group, adding geospatial analytics and AI-powered in-orbit data processing. [source]
- 2026 Asset manager Azimut Group invests EUR 110 million in D-Orbit, announced 22 January as the first closing of a Series D round following the EUR 150 million Series C. [source]
- 2026 ESA selects D-Orbit as prime contractor on 24 March for the MORPH satellite-refurbishment program. [source]
- 2026 D-Orbit launches its 23rd commercial ION mission, 'Above the Summer Sky,' on 7 July aboard SpaceX Transporter-17, carrying Portuguese, Chilean and US payloads and taking cumulative deployed payloads to almost 230 since the company's first ION launch in 2020. [source]
Luca Rossettini (CEO, Co-founder)
Team
- Luca RossettiniFounder and CEO · source
Signals
- Verification
- Verified 2026-09-10
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Frequently asked about D-Orbit
Quick answers to the questions readers most often search for.
- When was D-Orbit founded?
- D-Orbit was founded in 2011 in Italy.
- Where is D-Orbit headquartered?
- D-Orbit is headquartered in Como, Italy.
- What does D-Orbit do?
- Founded in 2011 by Luca Rossettini and Renato Panesi, D-Orbit pioneered space logistics as the first company addressing the industry's transportation needs. The company developed the ION Satellite Carrier, a proprietary orbital transfer vehicle providing last-mile delivery for satellites, first launched commercially in…
- Is D-Orbit a public or private company?
- D-Orbit is a privately held company and is not listed on any stock exchange.
- What sector does D-Orbit operate in?
- D-Orbit works in in space services, Satellite services and Deployment, plus 1 other space-industry sectors.
Sources
The structured fields on this page (founding year, location, sector, status, listing) and the profile text are drawn from the sources below. How profiles are drafted and checked is described in our methodology.
- Official website (dorbit.space)
- Company LinkedIn page
- Wikidata / Wikipedia · retrieved 2026-09-05
- D-Orbit: D-Orbit Successfully Closes a EUR150m Series C Round (27 Sep 2024) · retrieved 2026-09-10
- D-Orbit / Planetek: Joint press release announcing strategic business combination (4 Apr 2025) · retrieved 2026-09-10
- D-Orbit: Azimut Invests EUR110 Million in D-Orbit (22 Jan 2026) · retrieved 2026-09-10
- D-Orbit: ESA MORPH prime contractor announcement (24 Mar 2026) · retrieved 2026-09-10
- D-Orbit: D-Orbit Launches the 23rd Commercial Mission with ION Satellite Carrier (7 Jul 2026) · retrieved 2026-09-10
Data Accuracy Notice: Information about D-Orbit is compiled from publicly available sources including company websites, press releases, regulatory filings, and industry reports. Data is reviewed periodically but may not reflect the most recent developments.