D-Orbit: Strategic-Technological Analysis
D-Orbit is an Italian aerospace company pioneering the field of “space logistics” – an emerging sector focused on in-orbit transportation, satellite deployment, and orbital servicing. Founded in 2011 and headquartered in Fino Mornasco, Italy, D-Orbit has grown from a small startup into a European leader in last-mile satellite delivery and in-orbit support services. The company’s flagship technology, the ION Satellite Carrier, is essentially an orbital transfer vehicle (“space tug”) that carries multiple satellites into space and releases each one into its precise orbit. This innovation addresses a critical need for Europe: launching and deploying constellations of small satellites independently and efficiently, without relying on non-European providers. By developing capabilities such as precise orbital deployment, on-orbit satellite servicing, and space debris removal, D-Orbit is helping to strengthen European strategic autonomy in space. It operates at the intersection of commercial new-space entrepreneurship and institutional defense programs, positioning itself as a key enabler for Europe’s future space infrastructure. The following analysis will explore how D-Orbit’s technologies and operations contribute to European defense objectives – from reducing strategic dependencies on foreign launch services to enhancing NATO’s multi-domain capabilities – in an objective, in-depth manner that highlights the company’s strategic and technological significance.