Lunexus Space

Lunexus Space
Description: Lunexus Space is a company specializing in bootstrapping the orbital manufacturing ecosystem by recycling and remanufacturing photovoltaics in space from materials bound up in orbital debris. Their mission is to energize the exponential orbital economy through recycling and sustainable manufacturing, aiming to close technology gaps in processing materials in space.
Vision:
To establish a circular space economy where orbital debris is transformed into valuable resources, supporting sustainable human activities in space.
Mission:
To close the technology gaps in processing materials in space, thereby energizing the exponential orbital economy through recycling and sustainable manufacturing.
Contact:
References:
Investors:
Funding:
  • Grant : Jan 25, 2024, € million
Key Milestones:
  • 2022 : Company founded with a focus on recycling and sustainable manufacturing in space.
  • 2022: Recognized in NASA's Orbital Alchemy Challenge under the placeholder name C-Botics, achieving 2nd place overall and honorable mention for a secondary entry.
  • 2023: Awarded a U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant for $275,000 to accelerate research and development in orbital recycling technologies.
  • 2024 : Awarded $275K NSF SBIR Phase I grant for in-space recycling study
  • 2025: Prototype subsystem roadmap in development (target: 2026 vacuum chamber test)
Key People:
Sector:
Products & Services:
  • Recycling Satellite Photovoltaics: Developing technologies to recycle and remanufacture satellite photovoltaics directly in space, utilizing materials from defunct satellites and orbital debris.
  • Orbital Manufacturing Solutions: Providing sustainable manufacturing solutions in space to support the growing space economy.
  • Arachne Station: Proposed orbital platform designed for satellite harvesting and chemical processing in microgravity.
  • In-Orbit Recycling Services:: Conversion of aluminum alloys and silicon from defunct satellites into reusable materials (e.g., silane, optical substrates).
  • Partnership Services: Prototyping and integration planning with in-space logistics and orbital debris removal companies.TRL: 2–3 (simulation and early system architecture studies; prototype not yet built)