RAFTI refueling port
A fuel valve that replaces the one-time fill port on a satellite, so the same port can be used for fueling on the ground and refueling later in orbit. The U.S. Space Force has accepted it for military satellites.
Why it matters
Satellites are usually retired when their fuel runs out, even if everything else works. A common refueling port is the first step toward topping them up in orbit, which could extend their lives and let them maneuver more freely.
How the technology works
RAFTI fits where a standard fill-and-drain valve would go and mates with Orbit Fab's GRIP nozzle on a fuel shuttle. The original version was flight qualified in 2024.
RAFTI High Pressure, qualified in the UK in 2026, extends it to xenon, krypton, argon, nitrous oxide and ethane, and first flies in late 2026.