Tag: Astroscale
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Space Inventor and Astroscale Japan Develop Architecture for In-Orbit Satellite Servicing and Repair
Danish satellite manufacturer Space Inventor and Astroscale Japan announced on September 16, 2026, that they are developing a joint spacecraft architecture intended to enable in-orbit satellite servicing, maintenance and repair. The system combines Space Inventor’s modular small-satellite platforms with Astroscale’s rendezvous, proximity-operations and docking technologies, aiming to address spacecraft failures and propellant depletion in low…
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Isar Aerospace to Launch Astroscale’s ADRAS-J2 Mission to Capture and Remove Three-Ton Space Debris
Astroscale Japan has selected Isar Aerospace to launch ADRAS-J2, a robotic spacecraft designed to capture and deorbit a three-ton abandoned rocket stage. The mission is intended to become the first to remove an existing large piece of orbital debris that was not designed for servicing or retrieval. The companies announced the launch agreement on September…
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UK Space Agency Delays £75.6 Million Active Debris Removal Contract Award
The UK Space Agency (UKSA) has delayed awarding a contract for the next phase of the United Kingdom’s first active orbital debris removal mission, missing its original deadline for the £75.6 million program. Astronomy The contract for Phase 3 of the Active Debris Removal (ADR) mission was initially scheduled to be awarded by March 30,…
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Spaceium Demonstrates High-Precision Robotic Actuator for Future In-Orbit Refueling
U.S. robotics startup Spaceium has demonstrated a high-precision actuator in orbit, a technology it says could enable future robotic refueling and servicing of satellites. The component flew aboard a SpaceX Transporter rideshare mission launched in November and was tested in space rather than in laboratory conditions. According to the company, the device achieved rotational accuracy…
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Japan Defence Ministry Awards Astroscale Contract to Develop Satellite Gripping Technology
Japan’s Ministry of Defense (MoD) has awarded Astroscale Japan a contract valued at 1 billion yen ($6.4 million) to develop a gripping mechanism designed for use with national satellites, the company said. Under the contract, Astroscale Japan will design the mechanism and conduct ground-based demonstrations to test its ability to grip national security satellites under…
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Astroscale Clears Design Milestone for Satellite Removal Mission in 2025
Astroscale’s British subsidiary has completed the critical design review (CDR) for its satellite servicer under the End-of-Life Services by Astroscale-Multiple (ELSA-M) program, the company said Tuesday. The milestone paves the way for the next phase of assembly, integration and testing, ahead of a mission to remove a defunct OneWeb broadband satellite from low Earth orbit…
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Astroscale aced the world’s first rendezvous with a piece of space junk
There’s a scene in the film Interstellar where Matthew McConaughey’s character flies his spaceplane up to meet a mothership spinning out of control. The protagonist rises to the challenge with a polished piece of piloting and successfully links up with his objective. Real life, of course, isn’t quite this dramatic. Slow down that spin to a…
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There are 2,000-plus dead rockets in orbit—here’s a rare view of one
There are more than 2,000 mostly intact dead rockets circling the Earth, but until this year, no one ever launched a satellite to go see what one looked like after many years of tumbling around the planet. In February, a Japanese company named Astroscale sent a small satellite into low-Earth orbit on top of a…
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There are 2,000-plus dead rockets in orbit—here’s a rare view of one
There are more than 2,000 mostly intact dead rockets circling the Earth, but until this year, no one ever launched a satellite to go see what one looked like after many years of tumbling around the planet. In February, a Japanese company named Astroscale sent a small satellite into low-Earth orbit on top of a…
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Seraphim Space Investment Trust Reports Resilient Growth Despite Astroscale IPO Setback
Seraphim Space Investment Trust (SSIT) announced a 1.4% increase in the total value of early-stage space investments in its publicly traded trust, reaching 201 million pounds ($257 million). This growth occurred despite a setback from Astroscale’s discounted initial public offering (IPO). Astroscale, a Japanese debris removal venture, went public on the Tokyo Stock Exchange on…