Astroscale

Astroscale was founded in 2013 by IT entrepreneur Mitsunobu "Nobu" Okada in Singapore.{{cite news|url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2017/08/13/national/astroscale-exec-boldly-clean-no-one-cleaned/|title=Astroscale exec to boldly clean where no one has cleaned before|last=Daimon|first=Sayuri|date=2017-08-13|work=The Japan Times Online|access-date=2019-07-15|issn=0447-5763}} In April 2013, Okada attended an academic conference in Germany on space development where space junk was a hot topic. Many experts gave presentations on the issue and talked about potential solutions, but Okada was not impressed because no one had a real plan of action. Ten days later, he founded Astroscale to tackle the issue.

On 16 February 2015, the company raised US$7.7 million in venture capital financing.{{cite web|url=https://astroscale.com/astroscale-raises-usd7-7-million-in-series-a-funding/|title=Astroscale Raises USD7.7 Million in Series A Funding|date=2015-02-16|publisher=Astroscale|access-date=2019-07-15}} The capital was used to set up an R&D facility and office in Tokyo to accelerate the development of satellites and future space debris removal missions. On 1 March 2016, Astroscale announced a further US$35 million in funding {{cite web|url=https://astroscale.com/astroscale-secures-up-to-usd-35-million-capital-injection/|title=Astroscale Secures up to US$35 Million Capital Injection|date=2016-03-01|publisher=Astroscale|access-date=2019-07-15}} and on 21 March 2017, incorporated Astroscale Ltd. in the United Kingdom. Astroscale announced it had completed a Series C funding round and raised US$25 million on 14 July 2017.{{cite web|url=https://astroscale.com/astroscale-raises-a-total-of-25-million-in-series-c-led-by-private-companies/|title=Astroscale Raises a Total of US$25 Million in Series C Led By Private Companies|date=2017-07-14|publisher=Astroscale|access-date=2019-07-15}}

On 21 November 2017, Astroscale and Surrey Satellite Technology (SSTL) signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to pursue joint opportunities in areas of innovative on-orbit technologies and missions designed to safeguard the orbital environment for future generations.{{cite web|url=https://astroscale.com/sstl-and-astroscale-team-up-for-orbital-debris-removal-missions/|title=SSTL and ASTROSCALE team up for Orbital Debris Removal missions|date=2017-11-21|publisher=Astroscale|access-date=2019-07-15}} As a first step, Astroscale contracted SSTL to supply the Client satellite and avionics for its ELSA-d mission.

Astroscale established a ground station in Totsuka-ku, Yokohama on 4 July 2018. The primary purpose of the ground station is to enable the operation of ELSA-d.{{cite web |url=https://astroscale.com/astroscale-establishes-s-x-band-ground-station-optimized-for-low-earth-orbit-satellites-to-develop-space-debris-removal-services/|title=Astroscale Establishes S/X-band Ground Station Optimized for Low-Earth Orbit Satellites to Develop Space Debris Removal Services|date=2018-07-04|publisher=Astroscale|access-date=2019-07-15}}

On 24 July 2018, Astroscale received a £4 million grant from the Government of the United Kingdom and established the National In-orbit Servicing Control Centre Facility at the Satellite Applications Catapult in Harwell, Oxfordshire. The facility will support advanced robotics activities in the very hostile environment of space, specifically enabling the provision of a commercial service for de-orbiting small satellites. The new facility will initially control Astroscale's ELSA-d mission.{{cite web|url=https://astroscale.com/national-inorbit-servicing-control-facility/|title=National In-Orbit Servicing Control Facility to be built in UK to help remove space debris|date=2018-07-24|publisher=Astroscale|access-date=2019-07-15}}

On 31 October 2018, Astroscale obtained additional funding of US$50 million, bringing total amount of capital investment to US$102 million.{{cite web|url=https://astroscale.com/astroscale-secures-series-d-round-funding-to-clean-low-earth-orbit-bringing-total-capital-raised-to-us-102-million/|title=Astroscale Secures Series D Round Funding to Clean Low Earth Orbit, Bringing Total Capital Raised to US$102 Million |date=2018-10-31|publisher=Astroscale|access-date=2019-07-15}}

Astroscale announced the incorporation of Astroscale U.S. Inc. and the opening of its Denver, Colorado office at the 35th Space Symposium in Colorado Springs, Colorado.{{cite web|url=https://astroscale.com/new-astroscale-funding-round-extension-contributes-to-expanded-global-presence-and-strengthened-leadership-team/|title=New Astroscale Funding Round Extension Contributes to Expanded Global Presence and Strengthened Leadership Team|date=2019-04-10|publisher=Astroscale|access-date=2019-07-15}} With an additional US$30 million secured in an extension of its Series D investment round, Astroscale announced its plans to expand its United States presence, focusing on business development, policy influence and technology growth.

On 23 January 2020, Astroscale announced it had been awarded a grant of up to US$4.5 million from the Tokyo Metropolitan Government's "Innovation Tokyo Project" to build a roadmap for commercializing active debris removal (ADR) services.{{cite web|url=https://astroscale.com/astroscale-awarded-up-to-us-4-5-million-grant-from-tokyo-metropolitan-government-to-commercialize-active-debris-removal-services/|title=Astroscale Awarded Up To US$4.5 Million Grant From Tokyo Metropolitan Government To Commercialize Active Debris Removal Services|date=2020-01-23|publisher=Astroscale {{!}} アストロスケール {{!}} スペースデブリ|access-date=2020-02-26}}

On 3 June 2020, Astroscale U.S. Inc. announced it had entered into a definitive agreement to acquire the intellectual property and other assets and to hire certain members of the staff of Effective Space Solutions R&D Ltd., an Israeli satellite life-extension and servicing company. These moves make Astroscale the only company solely dedicated to on-orbit services across low Earth orbit (LEO) and geostationary orbit (GEO) and bring the company closer to realizing its vision of orbital sustainability for future generations.{{cite web|date=2020-06-02|title=Astroscale U.S. Enters the GEO Satellite Life Extension Market|url=https://astroscale.com/astroscale-u-s-enters-the-geo-satellite-life-extension-market/|publisher=Astroscale|access-date=2020-07-02}}

On 11 January 2022, Astroscale announced it has reached an agreement to prebuy fuel for its Life Extension In-orbit (LEXI™) Servicer.{{cite web |url=https://aviationweek.com/aerospace/commercial-space/space-tug-operator-astroscale-prebuys-fuel-fill-orbit-fab |title=Space Tug Operator Astroscale Prebuys Fuel Fill-Up From Orbit Fab |date=11 January 2022}}{{cite web |url=https://astroscale-us.com/lexi-life-extension-capabilities/ |title=Key Capabilities of our Life Extension In-orbit (LEXI™) Servicer |date=5 October 2021 |access-date=14 January 2023}}

In 2023, the Japanese government awarded US$80 million to Astroscale through 2028.{{Cite web |date=2023-10-04 |title=Japan Allocated $80,000,000 To Astroscale Japan For Research And Removal Of Space Debris |url=https://gadgettendency.com/japan-allocated-80000000-to-astroscale-japan-for-research-and-removal-of-space-debris/ |first=Robert |last=Adams |language=en-US}}

In November 2024, Astroscale Japan has announced that its commercial debris inspection demonstration satellite, Active Debris Removal by Astroscale-Japan (ADRAS-J), successfully approached a large piece of space debris — a rocket upper stage — to approximately 15 meters. This is the closest approach ever achieved by a commercial company to space debris through Rendezvous and Proximity Operations (RPO).{{Cite web |last=Jewett |first=Rachel |date=2024-12-11 |title=Astroscale ADRAS-J Mission Gets Within 15 Meters of Space Debris |url=https://www.satellitetoday.com/technology/2024/12/11/astroscale-adras-j-mission-gets-within-15-meters-of-space-debris/ |access-date=2025-04-02 |website=Via Satellite |language=en-US}}

In March 2025, Airbus Defence and Space has placed the first large-scale commercial order for Astroscale UK's second-generation docking plates, securing a deal of more than 100 units. These docking plates are designed to facilitate in-orbit servicing and end-of-life satellite removal, integration with various satellite platforms supporting multiple docking methods, including robotic and magnetic capture.{{Cite web |last=Kim |first=Julia |date=2025-03-25 |title=Airbus Orders More Than 100 Satellite Docking Plates from Astroscale |url=https://www.satellitetoday.com/sustainability/2025/03/25/airbus-orders-more-than-100-satellite-docking-plates-from-astroscale/ |access-date=2025-04-02 |website=Via Satellite |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Pultarova |first=Tereza |date=2025-03-26 |title=Airbus Buys First Batch of Astroscale Satellite Removal Docking Plates |url=https://payloadspace.com/airbus-buys-first-batch-of-astroscale-satellite-removal-docking-plates/ |access-date=2025-04-02 |website=Payload |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=Airbus adopts Astroscale Gen 2 docking plates for enhanced satellite sustainability |url=https://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Airbus_adopts_Astroscale_Gen_2_docking_plates_for_enhanced_satellite_sustainability_999.html |access-date=2025-04-02 |website=Space Daily}}

File:IDEA OSG 1.jpg

Between 2015 and 2017 Astroscale designed, built, tested and launched a 25 kg micro-lite satellite called IDEA OSG 1, an In-situ Debris Environment Analysis mission. The mission was designed to measure sub-millimetre size debris in low Earth orbit. Unfortunately, IDEA OSG1, Meteor-M No.2-1, and 17 other satellites on the Soyuz-2.1b launch vehicle failed to reach orbit due to human error in the programming of the rocket.{{cite web|url=https://spacenews.com/contact-lost-with-satellites-after-soyuz-launch/|title=Contact lost with satellites after Soyuz launch|date=2017-11-28|publisher=SpaceNews|access-date=2020-03-04}}{{Cite web|last=Howell|first=Elizabeth|date=4 January 2018|title=Russia Lost a $45 Million Weather Satellite Due to Human Error, Official Says|url=https://www.space.com/39270-russian-weather-satellite-doomed-human-error.html|access-date=18 March 2021|website=Space.com|language=en}}

File:Elsad.png

The End-of-Life Services by Astroscale (ELSA) program is a spacecraft retrieval service for satellite operators.{{cite web|url=https://astroscale.com/elsa-d/|title=ELSA-d - Astroscale, Securing Space Sustainability|publisher=Astroscale|access-date=25 August 2021}} ELSA-d (demonstration) is the first mission to demonstrate the core technologies necessary for debris docking and removal. It was launched on 22 March 2021.

ELSA-d consists of two spacecraft, a Servicer (~184 kg) and a Client (~16 kg), launched stacked together. The Servicer is equipped with proximity rendezvous technologies and a magnetic docking mechanism, while the Client has a ferromagnetic plate which enables it to be docked with. The Servicer will repeatedly release and dock with the Client in a series of technical demonstrations proving the capability to find and dock with debris. Demonstrations include target search, target inspection, target rendezvous, and both non-tumbling and tumbling docking. The first release and docking test was successfully conducted on 25 August 2021.{{cite web|last=Foust|first=Jeff|url=https://spacenews.com/astroscale-complete-first-test-of-satellite-capture-technology/|title=Astroscale complete first test of satellite capture technology|publisher=SpaceNews|date=25 August 2021|access-date=25 August 2021}}

ELSA-d is operated from the National In-orbit Servicing Control Centre Facility in Harwell, United Kingdom, a facility developed by Astroscale as a key part of the ground segment.

File:ADRAS-J Phase I.png

In February 2020, Astroscale announced its selection as the commercial partner for Phase I of JAXA's first debris removal project.{{cite web|url=https://astroscale.com/astroscale-selected-as-commercial-partner-for-jaxas-commercial-removal-of-debris-demonstration-project/|title=Astroscale Selected as Commercial Partner for JAXA's Commercial Removal of Debris Demonstration Project|date=2020-02-12 |publisher=Astroscale {{!}} アストロスケール {{!}} スペースデブリ|access-date=2020-03-04}} The JAXA Commercial Removal of Debris Demonstration project (CRD2) consists of two mission phases to achieve one of the world's first debris removal missions of a large object, the first of which has been awarded to Astroscale. This first phase will be demonstrated by the end of the Japan Fiscal Year 2022 and will focus on data acquisition on an upper stage Japanese rocket body. Astroscale will be responsible for the manufacturing, launch and operations of the satellite that will characterize the rocket body, acquiring and delivering movement observational data to better understand the debris environment.

In September 2021, Rocket Lab and Astroscale announced that the ADRAS-J mission will launch on an Electron launch vehicle in 2023, and it was successfully launched in February 2024.{{cite press release |url=https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210921006058/en/Rocket-Lab-Wins-Contract-to-Launch-Orbital-Debris-Removal-Demonstration-Mission-for-Astroscale |title=Rocket Lab Wins Contract to Launch Orbital Debris Removal Demonstration Mission for Astroscale |work=Rocket Lab |publisher=Business Wire |date=21 September 2021 |access-date=22 September 2021}}{{Cite press release |date=18 February 2024 |title=Rocket Lab launches ADRAS-J space junk inspection satellite for Astroscale (video)|url=https://www.space.com/rocket-lab-launch-astroscale-space-junk-inspection-mission|access-date=21 April 2024}} The mission will deorbit a second stage of the H2A rocket launched on January 23, 2009.{{cite web | url=https://www.ard.jaxa.jp/eng/crd2/project/ | title=PROJECT | CRD2 | JAXA | Research and Development Directorate }}

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Category:2013 establishments in Singapore

Category:Aerospace companies of Singapore

Category:Japanese companies established in 2013

Category:Private spaceflight companies

Category:Space debris