NIGRÁN, Spain — In a landmark achievement that cements Spain’s growing prominence in the global aerospace sector, aerospace company UARX Space has announced the successful orbital deployment of OSSIE-D. The spacecraft is an Orbital Transfer Vehicle (OTV) designed, engineered, and manufactured entirely in Spain. Notably, roughly 75 percent of the vehicle’s components were developed completely in-house by UARX Space, showcasing a high degree of technological autonomy and advanced engineering capabilities.
The mission lifted off successfully aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, taking advantage of commercial launch services to reach space. Once in orbit, OSSIE-D was deployed using SAU&RON 24, a proprietary separation system developed by UARX Space specifically for this class of mission. This accomplishment marks a notable world first within the aerospace community: it is the first time a single mission has successfully combined an orbital transfer vehicle and a separation system developed entirely by the same company.
The achievement represents a significant qualitative leap for Spain’s national space strategy. It demonstrates a robust national capability to design, build, and integrate critical technologies required for complex in-space transportation and orbital logistics. By uniting the OTV and its dedicated deployment hardware under one technological umbrella, UARX Space has reinforced an integrated developmental approach. This strategy spans everything from the fundamental vehicle architecture to the precise mechanisms required to release payloads successfully into their target orbits.
A Collaborative Triumph for the European Space Sector
While UARX Space spearheaded the vehicle architecture and deployment mechanisms, the OSSIE-D mission also underscores the vital importance of cross-company collaboration within the broader European space ecosystem. Meeting the rigorous power demands of an advanced orbital transfer vehicle requires specialized engineering, which led UARX Space to partner with DHV Technology, a recognized leader in space power systems.
For the OSSIE-D mission, DHV Technology took complete responsibility for designing, qualifying, and manufacturing the vehicle’s comprehensive electrical power subsystem. This critical suite of hardware includes high-efficiency solar arrays, the Power Conditioning and Distribution Unit (PCDU), main battery modules, the Solar Array Drive Assembly (SADA), and a variety of supporting subsystems designed to ensure continuous and reliable energy throughout the mission lifecycle.
Dr. Andrés Villa, Chief Technology Officer and Co-Founder of UARX Space, emphasized the collaborative nature of the enterprise and its broader implications for the domestic aerospace industry.
"OSSIE-D represents a milestone for the Spanish aerospace industry and shows how collaboration between companies with complementary capabilities can turn ambitious missions into reality," said Dr. Villa. "DHV Technology has been a key partner, with its expertise, highly reliable solutions, and team commitment making a significant contribution to the mission’s energy capabilities. This partnership also highlights the potential of the Spanish space sector to innovate and compete at both European and global level."
Nominal Operations Confirm Initial Success
Following its separation from the Falcon 9 launch vehicle and subsequent deployment, telemetry data confirmed that DHV Technology’s electrical power subsystem began operating nominally in orbit. The initial telemetry indicated that power generation via the solar arrays, the subsequent regulation and distribution managed by the PCDU, and energy storage within the battery modules were all functioning precisely as anticipated.
This flawless operational start marks a critical milestone for DHV Technology’s engineering division, validating months of rigorous ground-based testing and validation phases. For the mission as a whole, stable power generation is the foundational prerequisite for all subsequent orbital maneuvers and technology demonstrations.
Dr. Vicente Díaz, Managing Director and Co-Founder of DHV Technology, shared his enthusiasm regarding the successful deployment and early orbital performance.
"Seeing the full electrical power subsystem fully developed by DHV for OSSIE-D operating as expected in orbit is an important milestone for our team and for our collaboration with UARX Space," stated Dr. Díaz. "This achievement reflects the close cooperation between both engineering teams and the work invested throughout the design, manufacturing, testing, and integration phases. We are proud to contribute to this mission and look forward to OSSIE-D continuing to deliver positive results for UARX Space and all the partners involved."
Testing Advanced Technologies in Real Space Conditions
In addition to serving its primary operational role as an electrical power source, the OSSIE-D mission provides DHV Technology with a valuable in-orbit testbed. The company is actively utilizing the OTV platform to evaluate and test innovative technological concepts in real space operating conditions.
The data and performance metrics gathered over the course of the mission will be instrumental in increasing the technological readiness and maturity levels of several proprietary solutions under development at DHV Technology. By testing these innovations in orbit, the company can extend the long-term value of the mission far beyond its immediate operational objectives.
Among the advanced concepts being evaluated are novel electrical interconnection methods designed to withstand the harsh thermal and radiation environments of space. The mission is also testing improved solar panel deployment architectures and specialized hinge mechanisms, alongside next-generation photovoltaic technologies that could define the future of spacecraft power generation.
Strengthening the Future of In-Space Transportation
The successful synergy between UARX Space and DHV Technology highlights the critical advantage of combining specialized engineering competencies to tackle increasingly complex space missions. While UARX Space continues to direct the overarching development of the OTV and refine its orbital deployment architecture, DHV Technology’s sophisticated power subsystem supplies the vital energy needed to sustain the vehicle. Simultaneously, it creates a flight-proven environment to test experimental technologies.
Consequently, the OSSIE-D mission delivers progress on multiple fronts simultaneously. It consolidates UARX Space’s standing and capabilities within the fast-growing commercial in-space transportation sector, while offering an essential platform to validate advanced hardware that will support future spaceflight endeavors.
The convergence of an independently developed Spanish OTV, a proprietary separation architecture, and a specialized electrical power subsystem demonstrates the growing maturity of Spain’s industrial base. It proves that the national space sector possesses the technical proficiency, collaborative spirit, and industrial capacity required to conceptualize, build, and execute sophisticated technological projects that compete effectively on the international stage.
