Orbital Paradigm: Leading the Re-entry Challenge

Founding Orbital Paradigm and Developing the KID Capsule

Company Foundation: Experienced engineer Francesco Cacciatori, with over two decades of experience in the European aerospace industry, founded Orbital Paradigm, based in Madrid, in collaboration with Victor Gómez García.

Primary Focus: This leading company focuses on solving one of the most complex challenges in the space sector: the atmospheric re-entry problem. Orbital Paradigm aims to develop innovative re-entry capsules, with the goal of opening new horizons for specialized markets in materials manufactured in a microgravity environment.

Rapid Achievements: In a remarkable achievement in less than two years, with a small team of nine individuals and initial funding of less than one million Euros, Orbital Paradigm successfully developed a pioneering test capsule known as KID.

KID Capsule: The KID capsule represents the efficient prototype of the future reusable space capsule, named Kestrel. KID features a simple and innovative design, weighing approximately 25 kilograms and with a diameter of about 16 inches, designed to operate without a propulsion system.

Upcoming Mission: This mission will be the company's first and crucial step to place its innovative devices into orbit.

What is a Knowledge Graph?

Clients, Funding, and Company Strategy Evolution

Client List: The prominent client list for Orbital Paradigm's first demonstration mission includes leading companies such as the French space robotics specialist "Alatyr," as well as the prestigious German Leibniz University Hannover, and a third undisclosed client.

Funding Round: To date, the company has successfully raised 1.5 million Euros in a successful seed funding round, with support from prominent investors such as Id4, Demium, Pinama, Evercurious, and Akka.

Shift in Focus: Orbital Paradigm did not initially focus on developing space re-entry capsules. Originally, the founders envisioned building advanced space robots. However, repeated feedback from potential clients clearly indicated their actual need for recurring capabilities including ascent to orbit, a brief stay, and then regular return.

Market Requirements: Francesco Cacciatori explained that clients are not looking for one-off space missions; rather, institutions, startups, and large corporations require between three and six flights annually.

Promising Market: The biotechnology sector is considered a highly promising and lucrative market, as the microgravity environment enables the development of revolutionary new materials, drugs, and therapies, and these applications often necessitate repeated and complex testing.

Size Strategy: To meet these unique market demands, Orbital Paradigm made a strategic decision to develop smaller space capsules, unlike large capsules such as SpaceX's "Dragon," which are designed to transport astronauts and heavy cargo to the International Space Station.

Shifting Target Customer: According to Cacciatori, "the target customer changes when the payload size is hundreds or thousands of kilograms; then the customer is not the payload itself, but the space destination being flown to."

European and American Competition: The competitive orbital re-entry market is experiencing significant growth and congestion across the Atlantic. In 2024, Varda Space Industries achieved a historic milestone as the first company to successfully complete a commercial re-entry operation. Concurrently, the European company The Exploration Company successfully performed a controlled re-entry of its experimental vehicle this summer.

Advantages of American Companies: Prominent American startups, such as Varda and Inversion Space, benefit from unique competitive advantages, particularly significant financial support from the Department of Defense and other agencies, which have poured millions of dollars into hypersonic research and testing. This support often comes in the form of non-dilutive funding, such as grants or contracts, which do not require companies to give up equity stakes.

Use Cases of Knowledge Graphs

Challenges and Future Steps: The First and Second Missions

Lack of Government Support: Francesco Cacciatori explicitly stated that Orbital Paradigm does not receive the type of government support available to American companies. He noted, "This is one of the main drivers for our focus on building products directly salable to customers from the start, because without that, we won't be able to make progress. We face slightly greater challenges, which requires us to be more agile and efficient in our operations."

Anticipated First Mission: Orbital Paradigm is rapidly progressing towards its anticipated first launch. In approximately three months, the company will execute its pioneering mission in collaboration with an undisclosed launch provider, carrying three vital payloads for its clients.

First Mission Objectives: In this mission, the KID capsule will not be recovered; the primary objective is to successfully separate from the rocket, transmit valuable data from orbit, withstand the harsh conditions of heat and high speeds associated with hypersonic re-entry, and send at least one signal before the capsule lands in an unspecified area.

Economical Design: Cacciatori explained that "the vehicle's design takes into account no need to land at a pre-determined location," which significantly reduces the cost and complexity associated with such operations.

Second Mission (2026): The second mission, planned for 2026, is scheduled to launch a miniaturized and advanced version of the Kestrel capsule. This capsule will be equipped with an integrated propulsion system and an advanced parachute to precisely guide it towards the Azores Islands, where the Portuguese Space Agency is currently developing a modern spaceport.

Payload Recovery: Similar to the first mission, this mission will not involve a long orbital phase; the vehicle will be launched to spend approximately 30 crucial minutes in a microgravity environment before returning. However, the fundamental difference here will be Orbital Paradigm's ability to recover the vehicle and all valuable payloads inside, opening new avenues for testing and research.

Long Road Ahead: Francesco Cacciatori expressed his deep pride in the remarkable achievements the team has made so far, but he clearly emphasized that the road ahead is still long and full of challenges. He stated, "Despite the progress made, we consider that we haven't accomplished much yet unless actual space flights are realized." He added, "Optimistic words are important, but the real and ultimate test always lies in practical flight."