Open Arsenal

Holding Balance Before It Drifts.

ForwardState is the predictive control layer that makes orbital refueling stable, repeatable, and truly reusable. Instead of reacting to pressure spikes or phase changes after they happen, ForwardState models how cryogenic propellants will behave seconds or minutes into the future. It continuously builds a live “digital twin” of the system—tracking temperature gradients, pressure dynamics, and phase boundaries—so it can make decisions before instability ever forms. This forward-looking approach is what allows refueling in microgravity to move from a risky operation to a controlled, engineered process.

At its core, ForwardState combines real-time state estimation with model predictive control (MPC). Sensor data is fused to infer conditions you can’t directly measure—like vapor fraction or stratification inside a tank—while the MPC engine calculates the safest possible sequence of valve positions, pump speeds, and chill-down steps. The result is a system that maintains single-phase flow, suppresses boiloff, and prevents pressure shocks during transfer. It doesn’t just control hardware; it orchestrates thermodynamics.

Beyond core control, ForwardState is designed for autonomy and resilience. It includes anomaly detection that can flag issues like microleaks or sensor drift before they become failures, along with automated fault recovery and redundancy switching to keep operations running safely. Its self-learning capabilities refine performance over time, improving efficiency with every transfer. Features like multi-tank coordination, slosh compensation, and cross-depot optimization make it scalable—from a single vehicle refueling event to a full orbital logistics network.

ForwardState also emphasizes transparency and operability. With telemetry dashboards, replay tools, and detailed logging, every decision the system makes can be visualized and audited. Hardware-in-the-loop simulation and stress-testing modules allow validation under extreme conditions before anything flies. Together, these features position ForwardState not just as control software, but as the predictive intelligence layer that enables a reliable, autonomous infrastructure for reusable spaceflight.