York Space Systems acquires Houghton-based Orbion Space Technology

What’s happening: Orbion Space Technology, a Houghton-based manufacturer of flight-proven electric propulsion systems, has been acquired by York Space Systems, a leading U.S.-based national defense and commercial prime providing a comprehensive suit of mission-critical solutions.

What it means: The acquisition strengthens York’s integrated space ecosystem and directly supports the strategy the company outlined at the time of its initial public offering: aligning its technology roadmap, investing in domestic production capacity, and delivering systems that work reliably and at scale.

About Orbion: Founded in 2016, Orbion designs and manufactures Hall-effect electric thrusters for constellation-scale satellite missions. Its Aurora propulsion systems are produced domestically and are already flying on York-built spacecraft supporting U.S. national security missions, including satellites operating as part of fielded military constellations.

What they’re saying: “Orbion was built to deliver propulsion systems designed to perform reliably on orbit and to produce them in a factory that can meet the scale demands of prolific constellations,” said Brad King, co-founder and CEO of Orbion. “Our work with York has demonstrated what’s possible when propulsion is designed alongside the spacecraft and mission from the start. Joining York allows us to accelerate that approach and support the growing number of missions already being executed today.”

What’s next: Orbion will continue to operate as a wholly owned U.S. subsidiary of York, serving customers across the broader space industry. The combination provides a clear path to expanding Orbion’s production capacity in support of growing commercial and national security satellite demand.