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YC Root AccessCreating A New Universal Standard For Refueling Spacecraft
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Why spacecraft get discarded when they run out of fuel
The conversation opens with why in-space refueling matters: many spacecraft are effectively thrown away once their propellant is depleted even if the hardware still works. Ashi frames Spaceium’s goal as changing this inefficiency by enabling spacecraft to refuel and continue operating.
- •Spaceium is building fully automated in-orbit refueling stations where spacecraft dock, refuel, and leave without humans in the loop
- •Ashi says spacecraft often get discarded when they run out of fuel despite otherwise functioning hardware
- •Refueling is compared to how cars don’t get thrown away just because they run out of gas
- •Ashi notes the loss is not only cost but also long manufacturing lead times
Who needs in-orbit refueling first: initial customers and mission types
Ashi outlines where demand shows up earliest and which types of missions Spaceium is hearing from. The focus starts with vehicles that move payloads between orbits, with growing interest from lunar-related missions and other operators.
- •Initial customers are orbital transfer vehicles that move payloads and deploy satellites
- •Ashi says there is strong interest from customers focused on moon missions
- •They are also talking to launch vehicles and geostationary satellite operators
- •Refueling is positioned as beneficial across a wide range of spacecraft operators
The missing piece: no standard way to transfer fuel in orbit
The host presses on why this isn’t already common, and Ashi points to standardization as the core blocker. Spaceium’s OpenPort is presented as a replacement for existing Earth-focused fueling valves, designed to work both on the ground and in orbit.
- •Ashi says spacecraft have Earth fueling valves, but those valves aren’t used for in-orbit transfers
- •Lack of a standardized in-orbit refueling interface has held back refueling attempts
- •OpenPort is intended to enable fuel transfer on Earth and in orbit using the same interface
- •The host asks for the technical scope of what is being standardized
What OpenPort standardizes and how other companies can adopt it
Ashi explains what gets shared and how customers can use it depending on fleet size and preferences. The model includes getting the port from Spaceium when buying fuel, or licensing the design to manufacture internally.
- •Spaceium is standardizing technical drawings and part of the software for OpenPort
- •Customers with a single spacecraft can receive the port from Spaceium when they buy fuel
- •Operators with large fleets can license the design and build ports themselves
- •The host highlights that space hardware adoption depends heavily on flight heritage and testing
Flight heritage plan: testing OpenPort and a planned xenon transfer near the ISS
Ashi describes the credibility challenge of new spacecraft hardware and how Spaceium plans to address it with testing and a space demonstration. They describe a plan to dock outside the ISS and perform a xenon transfer using OpenPort.
- •Ashi says OpenPort has been tested on the ground multiple times
- •Ashi describes a planned mission where OpenPort will be docked outside the ISS and used for a xenon transfer in orbit
- •Ashi characterizes this as the first time xenon will be transferred in orbit, using OpenPort
- •The goal is to provide a piece of hardware proven in orbit so others feel comfortable integrating it
How OpenPort works: probe-and-drogue docking, locking, and valve transfer
Reza walks through the physical interface and sequence of operations for docking and fueling. The host asks about what is novel, and Reza highlights key design characteristics intended to make docking and transfer robust.
- •Reza shows OpenPort and explains first contact via probe and drogue
- •After contact, the interface hard-locks using mechanical features
- •Fuel transfer occurs through the valves in the interface
- •Reza highlights operating pressure range, tolerance to misalignment, and androgynous design (both sides the same)
Why high pressure, misalignment tolerance, and androgyny matter
The discussion goes deeper on the design choices and why they’re important operationally. The host and Ashi connect androgyny to fleet-to-fleet transfers, not just station-to-spacecraft fueling.
- •Reza says some fuels—like xenon—operate best at higher pressure, motivating the design
- •Reza says misalignment tolerance allows docking and fueling even when spacecraft aren’t perfectly aligned
- •Reza explains androgynicity: either side can give or receive fuel
- •Ashi says some customers want to refuel from Spaceium, then transfer fuel among their own fleet using OpenPort
Why Spaceium is licensing OpenPort for $1 and making it an open standard
The host challenges the decision to open the interface, and Ashi explains Spaceium’s business focus is selling fuel as a service, not ports as a product. The open licensing is framed as removing the interface bottleneck to unlock a broader refueling ecosystem.
- •Ashi says Spaceium’s core business is providing fuel as a service, not selling refueling interfaces
- •OpenPort was built because lack of a standard interface became a bottleneck to refueling customers
- •They are sharing technical drawings and part of the software so others can manufacture the port
- •Ashi says the $1 license price was chosen so customers still go through Spaceium to obtain the license
Market reaction and the stance on competitors using OpenPort
Ashi describes how commercial and government stakeholders have responded positively to the $1 licensing concept. The host asks whether competitors adopting OpenPort helps or hurts, and Ashi argues it’s a win for overall refueling adoption.
- •Ashi says reaction has been “amazing” from commercial and government organizations
- •Ashi contrasts OpenPort with other interfaces described as expensive and not yet space-tested
- •Ashi says it’s a win if another refueling company uses OpenPort because it increases overall refueling activity
- •Ashi emphasizes Spaceium’s speed and cadence of missions as a competitive advantage
From first flight to a refueling station: mission roadmap and de-risking strategy
Reza details Spaceium’s flight history and upcoming missions, describing a stepwise approach that adds risk gradually. He outlines a first mission focused on testing robotics actuators, a second focused on xenon transfer near the ISS, and a third mission delivering a full refueling station for a customer.
- •Reza says their first mission flew last November and tested robotic actuators, avionics, thermal, and other systems
- •He describes a methodical plan: add more risk each mission to de-risk the final station
- •Reza says the second mission involves transferring xenon outside the ISS
- •Reza says the third mission is their first full refueling station and that it is already sold out, with launch booked for mid-2028
Fit-checks, early failures, and lessons applied to mission execution
The host asks about a fit check in Houston and how preparation has evolved since the first flight. Reza contrasts a failure-heavy prep cycle on the first mission with smoother execution on the second due to lessons learned.
- •Reza says an engineering model was taken to Houston for an ISS fit check and testing went better than expected
- •He says first-mission preparation saw many test failures even though the mission ultimately succeeded
- •Reza says they learned from the first mission and applied those lessons to make the second mission smoother
- •The host reinforces the progression from one completed mission to two upcoming ones
Why xenon first, and how cryogenic fuels fit into the plan
Ashi explains the choice of xenon as driven by customer demand, contrasting it with their initial focus on cryogenic refueling architecture. He defines cryogenic fuels and describes the storage challenge of boil-off, claiming Spaceium developed a way to store cryogenic fuel without loss during the YC batch.
- •Ashi says the shift to xenon came from listening to customer needs over the last two years
- •He notes Spaceium initially worked on refueling architecture for cryogenic fuels and continues to work on it
- •Ashi defines cryogenic fuels as very cold fuels like liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen that require cold storage
- •Ashi describes boil-off and says they developed technology to store cryogenic fuel without loss during the YC batch; he adds OpenPort works with multiple fuel types
Building space hardware like a software startup: iteration loops and AI-driven operations
The host frames Spaceium as running like a software company and points to open-source-style distribution with OpenPort. Reza explains their build-test iteration approach and describes using AI tools across both engineering and operations to move faster.
- •The host compares OpenPort’s open approach to open source driving rapid adoption without a large sales force
- •Reza describes testing components at low levels and increasing integration, mirroring software development practices
- •Reza says they use AI throughout workflows, including purchasing and finance tasks handled by AI tools running on his computer
- •Reza says AI helps engineers focus on iteration and testing rather than replacing engineering work
In-house components to speed iteration: valves, robotic arm, and space-rated validation
Reza gives concrete examples of building key components internally rather than buying expensive, long-lead hardware. He highlights cost and timeline differences and ties credibility back to flight validation from their first mission.
- •Reza says they built a valve in-house instead of buying one with long lead times, enabling faster iteration
- •He describes building a robotic arm in-house that other companies might otherwise purchase at high cost and long timelines
- •The host asks if it is space-rated; Reza says part of it flew on the first mission successfully
- •Reza links in-house testing capabilities to faster development cycles
From a laundry room to orbit: origin story, YC lessons, and the long-term vision for refueling
Ashi shares how he and Reza started by building high-power rockets, discovered the payload/fuel constraint, and validated the need by talking to other space companies. They recount early days working out of a laundry room and garage, then discuss YC lessons about customer feedback, a difficult first-mission crunch story, the vision for OpenPort everywhere, and who they’re hiring.
- •Ashi says they built rockets before Spaceium and realized payload limits pushed them to investigate refueling needs
- •He says even large space companies had the same issue, motivating them to start Spaceium and talk to customers early
- •Ashi describes early workspaces evolving from a laundry room (desk was a dryer) to a garage outfitted with test equipment, then a basement, then a larger warehouse
- •Ashi says YC reinforced relentless customer feedback and iteration, describing OpenPort as the seventh iteration
- •Ashi recounts intense first-mission crunch where Reza passed out from lack of sleep; they later built a team to reduce that load
- •Ashi’s vision is OpenPort on all spacecraft and refueling becoming routine; Reza describes hiring for multiple roles and directs people to Spaceium’s site/email for the OpenPort spec
