UK prepares to launch satellite “janitor” into space
Astroscale UK, a subsidiary of Japan's Astroscale, is preparing to develop a vehicle to remove OneWeb satellites from low-Earth orbit. It will belong to the ELSA-M (End-of-Life Services by Astroscale-Multiple) program.
The weight of the “cleaner” is 500 kg. The device is planned to be equipped with a capture system compatible with magnetic docking stations of OneWeb satellites, of which there are more than 600. According to the authors of the project, the development requires complex work with software and navigation systems in space.
At the moment, the device is at the “flatsat” stage, where its components are being tested in a clean room. The company notes that a team of 40 people is actively working on the final tweaks to the algorithms and software. Once the project review is complete, integration of all subsystems of the apparatus will begin in 2025, with the ELSA-M mission scheduled for launch in the second half of 2026