We won the 2022 Sir Arthur Clarke Industry/Project Team Award for the End-of-Life Services by Astroscale-demonstration (ELSA-d) mission, the first mission to demonstrate the core technologies necessary for rendezvous, debris docking and removal. We are grateful for the recognition received for the joint efforts between Astroscale UK and Astroscale Japan. The award was accepted by the UK team on behalf of Astroscale.  

The Sir Arthur Clarke Awards recognize and reward those individuals and teams that have made notable or outstanding achievements in, or contributions to, space activities in the UK. Known as ‘The Arthurs’, they have been presented annually since 2005.   

We have partnered with JAXA to explore the feasibility of satellite refueling services. Refueling is a big step toward the realization of space sustainability, enabling satellite operations to continue for a longer period.  

Astroscale Japan will study the feasibility of satellite refueling services and consider international collaboration with other Astroscale subsidiaries and partners, applying the rendezvous and proximity operations technology demonstrated in the End-of-Life Services by Astroscale - demonstration (ELSA-d) mission, and robot arm and hand technology currently under development to the refueling work. JAXA will study the technical feasibility of an on-orbit refueling system, examine ground test equipment for fuel transfer evaluation, and provide technical knowledge and advice based on the studies. 

We're excited to see what concepts come out of this partnership. 

Astroscale U.S. is excited to announce we've signed a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement with the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), Space Vehicles Directorate, Spacecraft Technology Division, to partner on identifying relevant rendezvous, proximity operations and docking (RPOD) needs to strengthen in-space logistics capabilities and space domain awareness. 

“Collaborating on a complex technology such as RPOD signifies a key turning point for on-orbit servicing — from acceptance to adoption — as a strategic imperative for the United States,” said Ron Lopez, Astroscale U.S. President and Managing Director. “With our demonstrated success of close approach maneuvers in low Earth orbit, we are honored to work with AFRL to ensure that the innovative technology and development needs of the United States Space Force are aggressively pursued.” 

Events

Nov. 15-17: We exhibited and spoke in Bremen, Germany at Space-Tech Expo. Pat Mathewson, Astroscale UK’s Head of Business Analysis, took part in a panel discussion on developing an in-space supply chain. The UK team attending included Daniel Bloxham, Mekhi Dhesi, Pat Mathewson, Tomo Mimura and Robyn Haigh.  

Nov. 15-17: We attended the first ever Intertribal Space Conference, and were honored to participate in bringing together space and indigenous communities. 

Mark Muktoyuk, a member of the King Island Native Community (Inupiaq) represented Astroscale, and we could not have been prouder.  

In the news

• “Two UK firms are developing technologies to track down and capture the growing number of defunct satellites orbiting the planet." Read more about OOS technologies and our presence in the UK in this Sky News article. 
• The Washington Post illustrates how international collaboration and transparency are necessary to develop regulations for OOS, leading to the safe and sustainable development of space. 
• This Bloomberg article says, "The good news is that in-orbit servicing can be as transformative to space exploration and commercialization as the reusable rockets pioneered by SpaceX." 
• “Space 'risks becoming man-made rubbish dump' unless action taken,” by The National, discusses how Britain is innovating new methods to tackle debris and repair satellites. Lord David Willets praises the work of Astroscale. “I suspect in the future there will be more and more capacity to repair broken or malfunctioning satellites,” said Lord Willetts, 66. “And Astroscale is a really exciting company moving beyond active debris removal into in-orbit servicing as well. That is another area where British companies are keen to attract companies around the world.” 
• This TechTarget article, “A rising space industry will create new jobs and products,” expresses how a growing space industry is creating business opportunities in space, ranging from Earth observation and communications to space tourism and, eventually, asteroid mining. 
  Nana Gordon, a market analyst at Astroscale U.S., said tens of thousands of satellites are preparing for launch, and Astroscale wants to help drive companies' interest in recycling, reusing and fixing satellites "instead of just continuously launching new ones." 
  "We do have a throwaway culture in orbit," she said. "Whatever launches just ends up staying."