Pale Blue signed an individual contract with TOKYO KEIKI, and has initiated a collaboration to manufacture and assemble the subsystems of prototype mass-production model of its propulsion system 1 as part of the Deep Tech Startups (“DTSU”) support program – DMP phase (Demonstration development for Mass Production) by NEDO, a national research and development agency in Japan.

Background of the collaboration

Pale Blue has been granted by NEDO for the DMP phase of its DTSU program in September 2023. Through this program to establish mass-production technology for satellite propulsion systems using water as propellant, the company has identified that the production capacity to mass-produce with stable quality and quick delivery at reasonable cost will be essential for business growth and thus it was in search of collaboration. TOKYO KEIKI has identified the space business as one of the growth drivers of its long-term vision, “TOKYO KEIKI Vision 2030,” and was planning to expand its space business by completing construction of the Space Building for assembly and testing of satellite equipment at the company’s Nasu Plant in 2023. Pale Blue selected and started a collaboration with Tokyo Keiki, who has experience in manufacturing products and components for space equipment.

About the collaboration

In research and development for establishing mass-production technology of its propulsion systems, Pale Blue will collaborate with TOKYO KEIKI to manufacture and assemble subsystems of the prototype mass-production model of its propulsion system. Several units of the prototype model are to be built based on the manufacturing and assembly procedure, which will then be brought to the evaluation of quality, lead time, and cost of production.

Click here to learn about Pale Blue's Water Based Thrusters.