Astroscale Secures New UK Contract for Space Debris Removal Mission

Astroscale UK, the British arm of satellite servicing leader Astroscale Holdings Inc., has been awarded a £1.95 million contract by the UK Space Agency. This funding will support the next phase of the Cleaning Outer Space Mission through Innovative Capture (COSMIC) project, which aims to remove two defunct British satellites from orbit.

Focus on Advanced Technology

The COSMIC mission will focus on refining critical technologies, such as robotic capture systems and debris stabilization techniques, that were identified during earlier phases. Leveraging expertise from Astroscale’s existing missions, the COSMIC project aims to provide the UK with a reliable and safe debris removal capability.

Nick Shave, Managing Director of Astroscale UK, emphasized the mission’s low-risk approach, built on Astroscale’s proven track record with projects like ELSA-d and ADRAS-J. Paul Bate, CEO of the UK Space Agency, underscored the importance of protecting the space environment and advancing debris removal efforts.

Collaboration Across the Space Industry

Astroscale UK’s bid for the contract involves collaboration with major UK and European space companies, including Airbus Defence and Space UK, MDA UK, Thales Alenia Space UK, and others. The COSMIC spacecraft will be developed, built, and operated from Astroscale’s Zeus facility in the UK, benefiting the national space sector and supporting jobs across the country.

Technological Evolution

The COSMIC mission builds on the technology developed for Astroscale’s End-of-Life Services by Astroscale-Multi-client (ELSA-M) servicer. Recently, Astroscale UK signed a contract with Eutelsat OneWeb to finalize the ELSA-M mission, which is set to launch before the COSMIC mission in 2026.

Astroscale Japan has also made progress with its Active Debris Removal by Astroscale-Japan (ADRAS-J) mission, successfully executing complex maneuvers around an unprepared rocket stage as part of Japan’s debris removal program.