Dawn Aerospace

Dawn Aerospace manufactures non-toxic green chemical propulsion systems for satellites and develops reusable suborbital spaceplanes. Founded in 2017 and headquartered in Christchurch, New Zealand, the company operates across four countries including the Netherlands, the United States, and France.

The company's SatDrive product line provides turn-key bipropellant propulsion using nitrous oxide and propylene for satellites ranging from CubeSats to multi-ton platforms. Over 170 thrusters have been deployed across 40-plus satellites in orbit, flying on Electron, Vega, Falcon 9, and Soyuz launch vehicles. SatDrive systems serve missions from LEO to deep space, with lunar and GEO launches planned for 2026. Dawn is also developing in-space refueling through its LOOP program, with a Docking and Fluid Transfer port now standard on larger propulsion systems.

The Aurora spaceplane is a remotely piloted rocket-powered aircraft designed for suborbital flights to altitudes above 100 km at speeds up to Mach 3.7, with a four-hour turnaround between flights. The vehicle achieved supersonic flight in 2024, reaching Mach 1.12 at 82,500 feet, and has completed over 62 flights. Dawn sells spaceplanes directly to customers with service contracts rather than operating an integrated launch service.