The UK Space Agency has announced funding for work which aims to
prolong the life of satellites, as part of efforts to ensure
space remains sustainable for future generations.
The package includes a £2 million upgrade to the Satellite
Applications Catapult’s In-Orbit Servicing and Manufacturing
(IOSM) facility at the Westcott Space Cluster in Aylesbury. The
facility will provide unique capabilities in the UK where
companies can verify, validate and demonstrate a range of
in-orbit operations including manufacturing, servicing,
inspection, repair and assembly.
In addition almost £1.5 million is going into feasibility studies
on refuelling satellites in space, to extend their life and
reduce the amount of space debris.
There are now around 37,000 pieces of space debris in orbit
measuring more than 10cm, and an estimated one million pieces
sized 1-10cm. With increasing numbers of satellites being
launched, the UK is taking leadership on this global issue.
MP, Minister for Space at
the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology,
said:
Tackling space debris and maintaining ease of navigation in space
is vital to allowing future exploration and protecting the
everyday services we all rely on, from location and financial
services to weather forecasting and broadband.
To ensure that long-term sustainability, we are funding new
technologies for satellite refuelling, and upgrading this
important national facility at Westcott to help bring innovations
to market faster, in turn growing our economy.
The UK’s IOSM facility at the Westcott Space Cluster will become
the first in the UK capable of verification, validation and
demonstration of in-orbit operations.
The upgrade will support the growing IOSM sector within the UK,
providing access to the large-scale equipment needed to replicate
orbital conditions and flight dynamics. This includes expanding
the core capabilities to enable dynamic tracking, real-time
positioning, a gravity off-load system, and enhancing the orbital
simulation environment. The in-orbit simulation robots will
benefit from increased digital twin capabilities, which act as a
proxy for the space environment and enable testing in the virtual
world.
Lucy Edge, Chief Operating Officer at Satellite Applications
Catapult, which owns the IOSM facility, said:
IOSM is
predicted to be worth £11 billion globally by 2031, and the
UK has the expertise to capture at least 25% of this market. To
achieve that, it’s critical that the UK’s IOSM companies have
access to infrastructure to test their technologies and
operations under mission conditions. Our new upgraded facility
offers exceptional IOSM testing capabilities and supports the
Catapult’s goals to grow the entire space industry in the
UK.
It will help to meet goals within the National Space Strategy for
in-orbit servicing, and help with UK Space Agency-funded work
developing space sustainability standards, including exploring
the design and operation of sustainable spacecraft.
Satellite life extension through
refuelling
Three new refuelling feasibility studies will support the UK’s
efforts to lead on space sustainability by demonstrating the
ability to refuel the UK national debris removal mission and
explore opportunities for refuelling a commercial
satellite.
Ray Fielding, Head of Space Sustainability at the UK Space
Agency, said:
Until recently, satellites have been designed as one-shot items:
non-refuellable with mission lifespans coming to an end when the
satellite can no longer manoeuvre effectively.
This package of funding shows the UK Space Agency is leading work
to develop UK capabilities in performing in-orbit tasks, such as
refuelling, and demonstrating leadership in more sustainable
space operations. Facilities like the IOSM centre at Westcott
will support the UK’s ambition to become a leading nation in IOSM
within the next decade.
Contracts have been awarded to Astroscale, ClearSpace and Orbit
Fab for refuelling research:
- Astroscale will adapt their existing ‘COSMIC’ debris removal
spacecraft to a new refuelling servicer product, partnering with
TAS, Airbus Defence & Space, Orbit Fab and GMV
- ClearSpace’s ‘REFUEL.ME’ mission extension will draw on their
existing ‘CLEAR’ debris removal mission, partnering with Orbit
Fab, Satellite Applications Catapult and Know.space
- Orbit Fab will leverage their unique Rapidly Attachable Fuel
Transfer Interface (RAFTI™) and the Grappling and Resupply Active
Solution for Propellants (GRASP) to develop the ‘RAFTEA’ mission,
partnering with MDA, ClearSpace, D-Orbit, and BryceTech
