Space
Astroscale Picks Isar Aerospace to Launch Its Space Debris Cleanup Mission
Japanese satellite servicing company Astroscale has selected European launch startup Isar Aerospace to carry its ELSA-M deorbiting spacecraft, marking a significant commercial contract for both companies in the emerging space debris removal sector.
Key Takeaways
- Astroscale selected Isar Aerospace's Spectrum rocket to launch its ELSA-M multi-client satellite deorbiting mission
- ELSA-M is designed to sequentially deorbit multiple satellites in a single mission, dramatically reducing the per-satellite cost of debris removal
- Low Earth orbit now contains over 36,500 tracked debris objects, with Kessler syndrome cascade risks growing as mega-constellations expand
DE
DT Editorial AI··via spacenews.com