Blackswan Space Secures €2.5M Seed to Automate Orbital Docking
Lithuanian firm Blackswan Space has closed a €2.5M seed round to fund the in-orbit demonstration of its RPO Kit, a vision-based autonomous navigation system for satellite servicing.
# Autonomous Proximity Maneuvers: Blackswan Secures Capital
Lithuanian aerospace firm Blackswan Space has announced the closure of a €2.5M ($2.8M) seed funding round. The injection, led by Iron Wolf Capital with support from Lemonade Stand, NGL Ventures, and strategic angels, brings the company’s total capitalization to €3.2M. The objective is clear: transition from simulation software to hardware-driven orbital operations.
According to Payload, the capital will facilitate the maiden flight of Blackswan’s RPO Kit. This payload utilizes Vision-Based Navigation (VBN) to enable spacecraft to execute autonomous Rendezvous and Proximity Operations (RPO). By leveraging commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) components—including optical sensors and NVIDIA processing units—Blackswan aims to provide a plug-and-play solution for the burgeoning in-space servicing market.
Mission Timeline
The hardware is scheduled for an in-orbit demonstration (IOD) in Q4 2027, integrated as a hosted payload on a partner satellite. Successful validation is critical for the firm's downstream obligations; Blackswan has already been selected by Orbit Fab to provide docking capabilities for the ESA-funded ASTRAL mission, slated for a 2028 launch.
CEO Marius Klimavičius identified a market gap for standardized RPO solutions, noting that many servicing startups lack the specialized expertise to develop complex docking software in-house. Beyond technical validation, the company plans to utilize this seed funding to establish a physical presence in the United States, targeting contracts with American orbital logistics providers.
With docking remaining one of the highest-risk maneuvers in orbital mechanics, Blackswan is positioning itself as the primary merchant supplier for autonomous proximity logic.