Spanish space company Arkadia Space has secured €14.5 million in funding from the European Innovation Council Accelerator (EIC). The package includes a €2.5 million grant, €6 million in equity from the EIC Fund, and €6 million in private investment.

Green Hypergolic Propulsion

The funding will support the development of a new hypergolic bipropellant propulsion system based on high-concentration hydrogen peroxide and a proprietary green fuel. This technology is designed to replace hydrazine and its derivatives, highly toxic propellants increasingly restricted under European regulation. The aim is to improve safety, performance, and sustainability in space missions.

System Advantages

Its hypergolic nature enables instantaneous ignition upon contact between propellants, eliminating the need for complex ignition systems while increasing reliability and precision for operations such as spacecraft docking and lunar landings. The system is also expected to reduce operational and refuelling costs by more than 60 per cent compared to conventional solutions.

In-Orbit Validation

The EIC selection follows the in-orbit validation of DARK, Arkadia’s propulsion system, launched in March 2025 aboard a D-Orbit satellite during a SpaceX mission. This marked the first time a hydrogen peroxide-based propulsion system reached space in Europe.

The funding will support the commercialisation of Arkadia’s green propulsion technology, further R&D, expansion of its testing infrastructure, and the scaling of its commercial operations.