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Aetheris Orbis - Erebus 1

Erebus 1 (LR‑RM1) – Crewed Refueling Demonstration
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Launch Date: 15 Mar 2045 Dock Date: 20 Mar 2045 Return Date: 01 Jul 2045

Mission Purpose - First crewed demonstration of an orbital refueling hub. The flight installs the Robotic Refueling System (RRS), a cryogenic storage tank, and associated transfer lines on the ISS Long‑Duration Discovery Port (LDDP).

Primary Objectives

  • Deploy and commission the RRS and cryogenic tank in orbit.
  • Validate EVA assisted robotic arm placement and real time health monitoring.
  • Perform a low mass fuel‑transfer test to confirm pressure regulation and thermal shielding.

Key Milestones

  • T‑0 (15 Mar 2045): Launch aboard Orion‑XR on a Aquila-X (deep‑orbit logistics variant).
  • T + 5 d (20 Mar 2045): Autonomous docking with ISS LDDP using Astraeus validated rendezvous software.
  • T + 6 d – T + 26 d (21 Mar – 10 Apr 2045): Unloading, robotic arm installation, and EVA checks.
  • T + 27 d – T + 108 d (11 Apr – 30 Jun 2045): System checkout, calibration, and incremental fuel move tests.
  • T + 109 d (01 Jul 2045): Mission close‑out; crew returns to Earth, leaving a spare part cache on ISS.

Rationale & Impact

By proving that a crew can safely install and operate a full scale refueling node, Erebus 1 removes the primary technical barrier to an orbital propellant depot. The data relay and autonomous dock heritage from Astraeus ensures a low risk, high confidence insertion, setting the stage for larger, unmanned fuel deliveries.

Erebus Program