D-Orbit announced at the International Astronautical Congress (IAC) in Milan the signing of a €119.6 million contract with the European Space Agency (ESA) as part of the Space Safety project.
The contract establishes a robust, space-proven, commercial-grade in-orbit servicing infrastructure in Europe. As part of this initiative, D-Orbit is developing, launching and demonstrating the capabilities of a vehicle designed to rendezvous, dock and assume the attitude and orbit of another spacecraft for purposes such as life extension, relocation, repair, disposal and more.
A key aspect of this contract is the development of GEA, an innovative satellite platform
innovative satellite platform designed to demonstrate geostationary in-orbit (GEO) servicing capabilities. This project is supported by the Italian government through the Italian Space Agency (ASI), which recognises the strategic potential of in-orbit servicing for the Italian space industry. This effort, along with Italy’s commitment to lead the space industry, has been reinforced by critical contributions from other space agencies and governments, including the United Kingdom Space Agency (UKSA), the German Aerospace Centre (DLR), the Swiss Space Office (SSO) and the Agencia Espacial Española (AEE).
Luca Rossettini, CEO of D-Orbit tells Startupbusiness: “We are proud of this achievement, the result of years of commitment and dedication. This contract testifies to the talent and perseverance of our team, as well as the constant commitment of the institutions operating in the space industry to foster the growth and development of our sector. I strongly believe that this mission is a success for the entire country system and will have a positive impact on the entire supply chain.”
He added in a note: ‘Our collaboration with ESA and the support of the Italian government and the Italian Space Agency, together with our European partners, positions us at the forefront of in-orbit servicing. We look forward to embarking on this ambitious project, the first mission of which, named RISE, will mark an extraordinary new milestone for D-Orbit: the start of regular commercial services in geostationary orbit.
‘This contract with ESA truly represents a decisive moment in D-Orbit’s journey and evolution in space logistics,’ adds Stefano Antonetti, VP business development at D-Orbit.
The collaborative project brings together key players from across Europe with different skills and resources, underlining D-Orbit’s commitment to advancing space logistics and in-orbit support that is set to play a crucial role in the company’s growth strategy. (image from the D-Orbit website)
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