TURION

Turion is a company operating in the space situational awareness (SSA) sector. The company develops and deploys satellites to collect data on objects in low Earth orbit (LEO). Turion's first satellite, Droid.001, a 32-kilogram spacecraft, was launched in June 2023 and is expected to begin imaging space objects by May 2024. The satellite is equipped with an imaging sensor supplied by Australian space imagery provider HEO. Turion aims to sell the imagery collected by Droid.001 to the US Department of Defense and satellite operators to improve their SSA capabilities.

Turion is preparing to launch a second demonstration spacecraft, Droid.002, later in 2024. This satellite will have three times the mass of Droid.001 and will support a higher resolution electro-optical imager. The company's goal is to develop and operate spacecraft capable of performing in-orbit services, including debris removal. Turion plans to launch its first "enhanced mobility vehicle" in 2026 for a de-orbiting demonstration by early 2027. The company is also developing larger production satellites called Droid Alpha, which will have propulsion capabilities for closer object inspections and other in-orbit services.

In addition to its own constellation of satellites, Turion plans to build and sell standardized 200-kilogram satellites to other operators, with prices starting at USD 4 million. These spacecraft will have space for about 120 kilograms of payload for SSA and other missions. As of March 2024, Turion had received around USD 7 million in contracts from NASA, Space Force, and the Air Force to help develop data-collecting and satellite-servicing technologies.

Key customers and partnerships

Turion's customer base includes the US Department of Defense and satellite operators seeking to improve their space situational awareness capabilities. The company has also partnered with Australian space imagery provider HEO, which supplied the imager for Droid.001 and is also a customer for the satellite's services. HEO plans to use the images collected by Droid.001 for its in-orbit inspection business. Additionally, Lithuania's NanoAvionics supplied the bus and subsystems for Droid.001, which Turion integrated in-house.