Orbit Fab vs Sierra Space: Stations & habitats (orbital) compared

November 2026 edition · assessment by Frontier Tech Intelligence

Sierra Space ranks 45 on the Space 100 with a score of 75; Orbit Fab ranks 65 with 70. Orbit Fab is ahead on deployment, commercials and leverage. Sierra Space is ahead on production, technology and firepower. Level on progress and positioning. Orbit Fab is based in Lafayette, United States, Sierra Space in Louisville, United States. Sierra Space: Established. Orbit Fab is named in 111 signals and Sierra Space in 19.

Orbit Fab →

Lafayette, Colorado, United States · Space · Infrastructure / Stations & habitats (orbital) · orbitfab.com

Orbit Fab sells NEST orbital fuel depots to spacecraft operators, enabling in-orbit propellant storage and repeated refueling.

Space 100 · rank 65 · score 70

Scores, Space (of 10)

Deployment9
Production4
Commercials7
Progress9
Technology6
Positioning8
Firepower4
Leverage10

Darker bar: ahead of the other company on that measure.

Positioning

Orbit Fab is a private U.S. space-logistics company developing RAFTI refueling interfaces, GRIP docking hardware, depots, and fuel-shuttle architectures for satellite servicing. Its ecosystem reach includes U.S. Space Force, DIU, AFRL, NASA, ESA, the UK Space Agency, Astroscale U.S., Impulse Space, Northrop Grumman, Airbus Defence and Space, Thales Alenia Space, and ClearSpace; however, its first commercial or government on-orbit propellant transfer has not yet been demonstrated. In 2025-26 it added ESA/UK-funded ASTRAL work, NASA Gateway fluid-transfer work, Airbus and Thales partnerships, an on-orbit Podracer demonstration, and more than $25 million of Stride-led interim financing, while its original 2025 hydrazine-service target slipped to missions now scheduled for 2027.

Latest signals

  • ClearSpace and Orbit Fab partnered to create an in-space refuelling service.ClearSpace
  • Orbit Fab hired a new CEO and raised funding to transition its satellite-refueling business into operations.SpaceNews
  • Orbit Fab opened its Series B financing round to investors.Orbit Fab

111 signals name Orbit Fab.

Facts, with sources

  • <$25M in disclosed Space-domain revenueOrbit Fab
  • ASTRAL in-orbit experiment to validate RAFTI and GRASP refuelling interfaces by 2028Orbit Fab
  • ASTRAL will perform an in-orbit experiment to validate RAFTI and GRASP refueling interfaces by 2028Orbit Fab

316 facts on file.

Sierra Space →

Louisville, Colorado, United States · Space · Infrastructure / Stations & habitats (orbital) · Established · sierraspace.com

Sierra Space develops and manufactures spacecraft platforms including the reusable Dream Chaser orbital vehicle and satellites for SDA missile-warning and missile-defense programs.

Space 100 · rank 45 · score 75

Scores, Space (of 10)

Deployment6
Production8
Commercials6
Progress9
Technology8
Positioning8
Firepower8
Leverage6

Darker bar: ahead of the other company on that measure.

Positioning

Sierra Space is a US space company whose operating engine is now defense manufacturing: an SDA Tranche 2 award ($740M/18 missile-warning satellites, first structures completed early), a new $798M AMDT3 award (July 2026, 18 more Tranche 3 tracking satellites for Golden Dome), and a classified $450M intelligence contract. A new CEO (ex-Maxar Dan Jablonsky, February 2026) is converting it into a high-rate manufacturer, while its Dream Chaser was downgraded (NASA CRS-2 modified, first flight now a free-flyer demo with ISS docking cancelled). It raised a $550M Series C in March 2026 (>$1.4B cumulative, a $5.3B 2023 valuation).

Latest signals

  • Sierra Space’s Ghost cargo vehicle completed a 90-minute delivery from 68,500 feet.Interesting Engineering
  • Sierra Space signed national security and commercial customers for Dream Chaser’s first orbital mission.SpaceNews
  • L3Harris Technologies and Sierra Space won $1.75 billion to build 36 missile-tracking satellites.SpaceNews

19 signals name Sierra Space.

Facts, with sources

  • National-security and commercial customersSpaceNews
  • National-security and commercial customers signed for Dream Chaser’s first orbital missionSpaceNews
  • Inaugural Dream Chaser flight carrying national security, civil and commercial payloadsSpaceNews

34 facts on file.

More comparisons

Questions this page answers

Orbit Fab or Sierra Space: which is ahead in space?

Sierra Space ranks 45 on the Space 100 with a score of 75; Orbit Fab ranks 65 with 70. Orbit Fab is ahead on deployment, commercials and leverage. Sierra Space is ahead on production, technology and firepower. Level on progress and positioning. Orbit Fab is based in Lafayette, United States, Sierra Space in Louisville, United States. Sierra Space: Established. Orbit Fab is named in 111 signals and Sierra Space in 19.

How do Orbit Fab and Sierra Space compare?

Sierra Space ranks 45 on the Space 100 with a score of 75; Orbit Fab ranks 65 with 70. Orbit Fab is ahead on deployment, commercials and leverage. Sierra Space is ahead on production, technology and firepower. Level on progress and positioning. Orbit Fab is based in Lafayette, United States, Sierra Space in Louisville, United States. Sierra Space: Established. Orbit Fab is named in 111 signals and Sierra Space in 19. Both company files carry the scores on eight measures, the facts with sources and the latest signals.

Every comparison here comes from the same files members use every day.

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