Aliena

About Aliena

Aliena, a Singapore-based space-tech company, specializes in providing electric propulsion solutions for the small satellite market. Founded in 2018 as a spin-off from Nanyang Technological University (NTU), the company was established by CEO Dr. Mark Lim Jian Wei and CTO George-Cristian Potrivitu. The founders met while pursuing their PhDs at NTU's Space Propulsion Centre, with Dr. Lim's background in plasma physics and a past career as a Physics teacher, and Potrivitu's journey sparked by a childhood fascination with space. This shared expertise in plasma and propulsion systems formed the foundation of the company.

The company's business model revolves around the design, development, and manufacturing of plasma-thruster systems for satellite operators. Its revenue streams initially focused on R&D services and have expanded to include hardware sales of full propulsion systems and individual components. Aliena targets a global clientele, including companies in telecommunications, Earth observation, and deep-space missions across Asia, the UK, and the European Union. A significant milestone was achieved in January 2022, when one of the company's thrusters was launched into space aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. The firm secured $5.6 million in a Series A funding round in March 2024, led by Wavemaker Partners, to scale up production and enhance its jet propulsion testing facilities.

Aliena's core product is its line of compact and power-efficient Hall-effect thrusters. These propulsion systems are designed specifically for small satellites, enabling them to operate in Very Low Earth Orbits (VLEO) by providing the necessary thrust to counteract atmospheric drag. A key feature of their engines is the exceptionally low power consumption, with some models operating on less than 10 watts, a fraction of what conventional thrusters require. This efficiency allows satellites to be smaller and lighter, reducing launch costs and extending mission lifetimes. The thrusters also feature instant ignition capabilities, eliminating the warm-up time required by traditional systems. Aliena is also developing a thruster that uses water for fuel as a more sustainable alternative to expensive noble gases like xenon. This technology is positioned to provide agility and access to new orbits for satellite constellations while also enabling sustainable deorbiting at the end of a satellite's life.