Italian space logistics leader D-Orbit has signed a launch services contract with Japanese satellite developer ArkEdge Space to provide orbital transportation for a series of upcoming demonstration satellites, the companies announced July 8.
Under the agreement, D-Orbit will deploy ArkEdge Space’s microsatellites into sun-synchronous orbit using its proprietary ION Satellite Carrier. The missions are scheduled to take place between 2027 and 2028. While the total number of satellites and exact launch counts remain confidential, both companies emphasized that the deal marks a vital phase for their respective growth strategies.
“This is one of the most significant contracts D-Orbit has signed to date…It represents real momentum in our Asia-Pacific expansion.”
— Matteo Andreas Lorenzoni, D-Orbit Orbital Access Business Unit Director
Fueling Asia-Pacific Expansion
The strategic agreement relies heavily on the capabilities of the ION Satellite Carrier, which acts as a “last-mile” delivery vehicle in space. Instead of dropping an entire batch of satellites into a single, generic orbit, the ION carrier can maneuver across different altitudes to deliver individual spacecraft into highly precise orbital slots.
For ArkEdge Space, a Tokyo-based startup founded in 2018, this capability is essential. The company specializes in end-to-end microsatellite constellations; spanning planning, mass production, and operations and supporting applications ranging from maritime communications (VDES) and Earth observation to lunar infrastructure.
“What matters most is the cadence. ArkEdge Space needs dependable, recurring access to orbit for its constellation programs…That’s what this contract secures.”
— Matteo Andreas Lorenzoni, D-Orbit Orbital Access Business Unit Director
The partnership also highlights the vital role of industrial giant Marubeni Corp., an early investor and commercial partner of D-Orbit, which facilitated the launch agreement.
“Marubeni has been instrumental in opening doors across the region…Japan isn’t just an important market on its own, it’s the foundation for a broader ambition: becoming a reliable logistics partner for the space sector across all of Asia.”
— Matteo Andreas Lorenzoni, D-Orbit Orbital Access Business Unit Director
“Bringing ArkEdge Space and D-Orbit together is exactly the kind of partnership we want to enable, and a clear step toward building a stronger space ecosystem across Japan and the wider APAC region.”
– Ash Takao, General Manager of Marubeni’s Space Division and D-Orbit Sales Development Manager
A Shift Toward Precise Space Logistics
The contract underscores a broader paradigm shift across the commercial space industry. Rather than simply viewing launch as a baseline expense to be minimized, constellation operators are increasingly focusing on the deployment phase as a critical business driver.
“Launch and deployment are moving from being treated as a cost to be minimized, to being an active part of how a constellation actually delivers on its mission. That’s a meaningful evolution for the whole sector.”
— Matteo Andreas Lorenzoni, D-Orbit Orbital Access Business Unit Director
The milestone contract follows closely on the heels of D-Orbit’s latest operational milestone. On July 7, 2026, the company successfully launched its 23rd ION Satellite Carrier aboard SpaceX’s Falcon 9 Transporter-17 rideshare mission.
Credit: SpaceX | Falcon 9 launches Transporter 17 from SLC-4E at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California.
With 23 completed missions to date, D-Orbit’s flight-proven ION platform has successfully deployed 144 satellites and hosted 83 experimental payloads in orbit. This established track record, combined with Japan’s rapidly expanding small-satellite sector, positions the European logistics specialist as a key player in the future of the APAC space economy.