Astroscale Expands Operations to France and Secures Contract with CNES
Astroscale Holdings Inc. (“Astroscale”), the market leader in satellite servicing and long-term sustainability across all orbits, has announced the opening of Astroscale France SAS (“Astroscale France”) and a contract with the French national space agency, Centre National D’Etudes Spatiales (“CNES”).
“Astroscale’s expansion into France and partnership with CNES mark a major step toward realizing a safe and sustainable space environment, and serve as a testament to France’s investment in space sustainability,” said Nobu Okada, Astroscale Founder and CEO. “Combining Astroscale’s on-orbit servicing leadership with CNES’s esteemed space heritage strengthens France’s role as a global leader in sustainable space policy and innovative technology.”
The contract, to be signed on June 20 at the Paris Air Show in Le Bourget, formalizes a partnership between Astroscale France and CNES that includes a funded study for active debris removal of French space debris. The specific debris will be determined in early 2024.
“This partnership with Astroscale aligns with our goals of ensuring long-term space sustainability and bolstering France’s leadership in the space sector,” said Philippe Baptiste, President of CNES. “We are pleased to fund this study, and together will drive innovation, foster international cooperation and actively contribute to the preservation of our space environment.”
Astroscale France is incorporated in Paris and will establish a location for larger facilities soon, along with naming a Managing Director and announcing other key employees. Globally, Astroscale has expanded its workforce to meet customer demand and now has approximately 450 team members. Astroscale France is the latest addition to new facility openings and upgrades worldwide, including in the United Kingdom, the United States, Israel, and at the company’s global headquarters in Tokyo.
About Astroscale
Astroscale is the first private company with a vision to secure the safe and sustainable development of space for the benefit of future generations and is dedicated to on-orbit servicing across all orbits.
Founded in 2013, Astroscale is developing innovative and scalable solutions across the spectrum of on-orbit servicing, including life extension, in situ space situational awareness, end-of-life, and active debris removal, to create sustainable space systems and mitigate the growing and hazardous buildup of debris in space. Astroscale is also defining business cases and working with government and commercial stakeholders to develop norms, regulations, and incentives for the responsible use of space.
Headquartered in Japan, Astroscale has an international presence with subsidiaries in the United Kingdom, the United States, Israel, and France. Astroscale is a rapidly expanding venture company, working to advance safe and sustainable growth in space and solve a growing environmental concern.
Find out more about Astroscale at www.astroscale.com.
