SAN FRANCISCO – Japanese startup Pale Blue announced an agreement Jan. 8 with Italian transportation company D-Orbit to conduct two 2025 demonstrations of a tiny water-fueled thruster. Slightly larger than a 10-centimeter cube, the Pale Blue 1U+ Water Ion Thruster, is designed to help small satellites maneuver throughout missions, dodge space debris and de-orbit when missions conclude, according to the news release. “By partnering with D-Orbit, we are taking a significant step forward in validating the performance and reliability of our propulsion technology,” Jun Asakawa, Pale Blue co-founder and CEO,…
