Airbus and Astroscale are working together more closely to look at new ways to handle space junk and refuel satellites.
They signed a memorandum of understanding to focus on in-orbit servicing and manufacturing in the UK.
Astroscale UK is exploring how to use Airbus’s robotic arm tech for these future missions.
The UK Space Agency recently gave a 2 million pound contract to an Astroscale UK-led group to study a refueling mission using the robotic arm from Airbus.
Andrew Faiola, from Astroscale UK, mentioned that the new agreement also covers fixing and upgrading satellites in orbit, building spacecraft parts directly in space, and improving rendezvous and proximity operations (RPO).
Upgrading Satellites in Space
Astroscale, which has raised over $375 million in private funding, has been working for over ten years to remove dangerous debris from orbit.
The company also secured government contracts in Europe and Japan to create the necessary servicing tech for commercial use.
After showing off a magnetic capture device in low Earth orbit in 2021, another Astroscale spacecraft is now checking out a Japanese rocket body to later remove it with a robotic arm.
“RPO is Astroscale’s core technology which allows the servicer satellite to safely approach and capture debris,” Faiola shared in an email.
Under the new agreement, both companies will look for ways to improve navigation and docking tech for satellite servicing and debris removal missions.
They plan to mix Airbus’s experience in satellite manufacturing with Astroscale’s developing tech for in-orbit servicing.
Faiola added, “Astroscale recognises this area as a future development necessary to achieve a circular economy in space and is currently exploring different opportunities for refurbishment as next steps.”
It’s interesting how they think about making space cleaner and safer.
Airbus didn’t comment on this matter.
The aerospace giant is diving into the in-orbit servicing market while seeking new strategies for its space business due to some financial challenges.
Six years ago, Airbus joined the EU-funded RemoveDEBRIS project to test space junk removal tech like nets, harpoons, and vision-based navigation systems.
Their small satellite subsidiary, Surrey Satellite Technology Limited, was one of the competitors for a UK Space Agency mission to remove two spacecraft from low Earth orbit by 2026.
However, in 2022, the UK Space Agency shortlisted groups led by Astroscale and ClearSpace for this mission and is still deciding between them.
SSTL built a small satellite that Astroscale’s servicer captured in 2021 during the ELSA-d mission.
Unfortunately, the ELSA-d servicer lost half its thrusters, preventing it from recapturing the client satellite for a controlled descent. Instead, the client satellite will decay naturally over several years.
