The Swiss startup will run weekly hot-fire tests on LYOBA's main engine, starting summer 2026, at a thermal power station that has been disused for 25 years.
Vouvry, Switzerland, February 28th, 2026: PAVE Space is moving its engine testing to Chavalon, a former thermal power plant above Lake Geneva that has been out of use for more than 25 years. There the company will qualify the main engine of LYOBA, its orbital transfer vehicle, which is designed to take satellites from their drop-off orbit to their final destination in about a day rather than months. Testing starts this summer.
The move marks a milestone for the company: ground validation of LYOBA's propulsion system before it is integrated into a flight programme. PAVE Space was founded by alumni of the Gruyère Space Program, the Swiss association behind Europe's first reusable rocket, which has flown more than 50 times.
Chavalon's layout makes it well suited to engine testing, and its location keeps noise impact to a minimum. Firings will last a few seconds each and will take place during the day, about once a week. The site's owner, Orllati Group, will refit the interior to meet the safety standards this kind of testing requires.
Months of orbit-raising, cut to about a day
A satellite released in low Earth orbit, around 500 km up, can take months to reach its operational orbit. For geostationary orbit, at 36,000 km, that means months of lost service time.
LYOBA takes over that final leg. It flies as a passenger on commercial launchers such as SpaceX's Falcon 9 or Arianespace's Ariane 6, separates once in low Earth orbit, and then carries its satellites directly to their final positions. The target is to cut transfer time to about one day.
Building Swiss capability in orbital logistics
Commercial service is planned for the end of the decade. Before that, PAVE Space is preparing a demonstration mission for October 2026 to prove the system's performance in orbit before it goes to market.
With LYOBA, PAVE Space aims to establish Switzerland in orbital logistics, a strategic and fast-growing part of the space economy. The company has 35 employees and operates across the cantons of Vaud and Valais.
"Chavalon is a decisive step for our programme. It gives us a place to fire our rocket engine while keeping our development rooted in the region, close to our teams and to the engineering talent Switzerland has to offer."Julie Böhning and Jérémy Marciacq, co-founders, PAVE Space