Participated · Seed · Aug 2022

Zenno Astronautics is a New Zealand-based developer of superconducting technology for space applications. The company builds an innovative satellite attitude control component that uses superconducting technology to efficiently generate a magnetic field with small energy loss. Its component is smaller than conventional counterparts and offers advantages including generation of high-efficiency torque with lower power consumption. The company is led by a CEO who has studied space applications of superconducting technology for many years. The announcement says Mitsubishi Electric’s ME Innovation Fund has invested to help boost Zenno’s competitiveness and to study and evaluate the technology with a view to applying it to Mitsubishi Electric’s satellites. The article does not disclose operating metrics or funding amounts. Zenno Astronautics builds electromagnet-based attitude control and propulsion systems that use high-temperature superconducting wire to generate strong magnetic fields for torque and maneuvering. Its first product, the Z01 Supertorquer, interacts with Earth’s magnetic field or other spacecraft to point satellites and enable inter-satellite operations like docking or debris removal. The company says the system is about 20 times smaller than traditional propulsion hardware and is compatible with many existing spacecraft. Zenno is targeting an orbital demonstration in Q4 2023 and plans a production facility with capacity for 1,000 electromagnetic systems per year. The startup has secured firm sales agreements with U.S. satellite owners worth “several million dollars” and a constellation commitment in the pipeline. The team has grown to 11 full-time employees and the company has recruited industry figures to its board and advisory team.