DEPLOYDatabase

Robot model

ION

defensecommercialby D-Orbit

Operational orbital transfer vehicle by D-Orbit, providing last-mile satellite delivery, orbit-raising, and end-of-life deorbiting services for commercial and…

Track ION
Manufacturer
D-Orbit
Form factor
defense
Maturity
commercial
Lifecycle
active
Deployments
3

The verified answer

As of Sep 2026, DEPLOY verifies ION, a defense by D-Orbit (commercial): 3 verified deployments on record.

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We notify you when a verified state change lands on the record, not when the company issues a claim.

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Key facts

Form Factor

defense

Maturity

commercial

Pricing

No verified price is on record for ION. Physical-AI systems are often sold through enterprise contracts or operated as a service rather than at a public list price.

How DEPLOY tracks pricing

Deployments (3)

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ION on the deployment map

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Where ION is verified operating. Explore the deployment map by place and type.

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Recent activity

Every change to this record is dated, sourced, and independently verified where marked.

Full change history →

Safety record

No incidents on record for ION.

Only active incidents are counted. Retracted incidents are excluded from this summary but remain reachable at their canonical URLs.

Common questions

What is ION?
Operational orbital transfer vehicle by D-Orbit, providing last-mile satellite delivery, orbit-raising, and end-of-life deorbiting services for commercial and government satellite operators
How much does ION cost?
ION's price is not publicly disclosed. DEPLOY has no verified price on record for ION from D-Orbit. Physical-AI systems like this are often sold through enterprise contracts or operated as a service rather than at a public list price; check the manufacturer for the latest.
Is ION actually deployed in the real world?
Yes. ION is independently verified in real-world operation on the DEPLOY registry, confirmed at named deployment sites with primary sources: not a concept, render, or demo-only.
Who makes ION?
ION is made by D-Orbit, based in Fino Mornasco, Italy, founded in 2016.
Where is ION deployed?
3 verified deployments of ION are on the DEPLOY registry, including at Vandenberg SFB, California, USA, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida, USA (multiple Transporter missions), Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, USA.
Can you buy ION?
ION is in commercial deployment and is sold to operators; contact the manufacturer to buy, and see the pricing section for any recorded price.
What are alternatives to ION?
On the DEPLOY registry, comparable defense robots to ION include SMSS (Squad Mission Support System), AZAK S26 UGV, Blackswan Autonomy Suite, Jackal.
How does ION compare to SMSS (Squad Mission Support System)?
ION and SMSS (Squad Mission Support System) (Lockheed Martin · 3 deployments) are both defense robots on the DEPLOY registry. ION has 3 verified deployments on record. Compare both records for specs, safety, deployments, and verified-vs-claimed autonomy.
Is ION a top defense?
On DEPLOY's intelligence score, which blends verified deployments, safety, adoption, media, and IP signals, ION ranks in roughly the top 14% of defense models tracked by the registry.
What is ION's maturity stage?
ION is at the commercial stage on the DEPLOY maturity ladder (research, prototype, pilot, commercial, production). Commercial stage means production-grade deployments are operating at named customer sites.
Is ION safe?
ION has no incidents on record in the DEPLOY registry. This does not constitute a safety guarantee; it reflects the incidents DEPLOY has tracked and verified to date.
Methodology: Claimed (not independently verified) · no sources on file · last reviewed 2026-08-09

Verification posture

Claimed (not independently verified)

Low confidence

Review state

Stable

Last reviewed 2026-08-09

Maturity + lifecycle

Maturity stage: commercial

Lifecycle: active

Architectural position

Cohort: defense

The framework is documented at /methodology. Corrections at /corrections. Reviewer: DEPLOY editorial team.

Methodology surface for ION.

Recent coverage

ION in third-party press

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