Job Description:

The goal of the project will be to support the systems & missions design team in building the UMPIRE refuelling mission planning tool. This will involve incorporating elements of refuelling vehicle design parameters into the model and / or optimizing mission trajectories for future refuelling missions based on customer scenarios and potential vehicle performances.

This project involves the opportunity to contribute to the development and optimization of in-space refuelling services. The applicant will work on Mission Analysis tasks focused on enhancing the capabilities of the tool UMPIRE, an in-house tool developed by Orbit Fab to model and optimize a refuelling service across a network or orbital assets. UMPIRE plays a critical role in determining the most efficient refuelling strategies by evaluating various mission profiles and different orbital transfers manoeuvres. The applicant will assist in refining the tools algorithm features and models, contributing to both its technical development and the evaluation of practical mission scenarios.

This project is ideal for candidates interested in astrodynamics, space mission design and optimization techniques applied to space logistics.

• Support mission analysis tasks related to refuelling services.

• Develop and implement new features in the MATLAB UMPIRE software tool.

• Support the modelling of refuelling costs.

• Perform trade-off studies to identify optimal mission architectures and orbital transfer strategies.

• Run simulations to test efficiency of the refuelling service and validate the results from UMPIRE.

• Document findings and contribute to technical reports.

The successful applicant should have the following qualities and abilities:

• You share our appreciation for a diversity of thoughts, backgrounds and experiences, helping us all learn from each other and make smarter decisions. 

• You are a UK citizen or have the right to work in the UK. 

• You are currently pursuing a B.S. or M.S. in a technical discipline especially in the skillsets listed below.

• You are familiar with MATLAB.

  Minimum Requirements: 

• Available to be in person at Harwell, Oxfordshire, for a minimum of 3 days a week. 

• Ability to work well in an integrated collaborative team environment, including frequent interactions with external suppliers, other engineers, other interns, and managers. 

• Ability to work effectively in a dynamic professional setting with changing needs and requirements. 

Process details:

• 8 weeks minimum fixed term contract to be agreed with successful candidate

• 5 days holiday to be taken during the placement

Working at Orbit Fab:

Founded in 2018, Orbit Fab is an in-space refuelling company that is rapidly developing the technology and infrastructure for a propellant and materials supply chain in space, having already conducted two missions. Orbit Fab is building a bustling in-space economy, beginning with a propellant supply chain. The company’s refuelling services bridge Earth and space, providing satellite owners with the necessary propellant to increase operational flexibility, extend mission time, travel across orbits, and even return to Earth. World-firsts include the first commercially available satellite refuelling port RAFTI™ (Rapidly Attachable Fluid Transfer Interface), the first in-orbit fuel depot, and the first resupply of water to the International Space Station by a private company. Orbit Fab Limited (OFL), based in Harwell campus is the UK subsidiary of Orbit Fab Inc, headquartered in Lafayette, Colorado. OFL is seeking to invest in and grow UK in-space refuelling and related technologies to support a growing in-space economy. Since 2022 Orbit Fab has been building the UK team, and is rapidly ramping up to deliver on UK national missions and serve the global (ex-US) commercial market with locally developed technologies. A full mission leading capability is being established locally, with the support of the UK and European space ecosystem.