Astroscale’s Elsa-d satellite. Photo: Astroscale

Surrey Satellite Technology (SSTL) has shipped a 16 kilogram (kg) Target satellite for Astroscale’s End-of-Life Services by Astroscale demonstration (ELSA-d) mission to Tokyo, where it will be bolted to the Chaser satellite for environmental testing ahead of launch in 2020.

The ELSA-d mission is designed to simulate capture of orbital debris and validate key technologies for end-of-life spacecraft retrieval and disposal services. The Target and Chaser satellites will be attached for launch and de-orbit, but while on-orbit at 500-600 km they will be deployed in a series of increasingly complex separation and capture manoeuvres using search, identification, rendezvous, docking, and de-orbit technologies.

Sarah Parker, Managing Director of SSTL, said “It is vital that the international space community tackles the issue of space junk and therefore I am very pleased that SSTL is involved in Astroscale’s ELSA-d inaugural end-of-life spacecraft retrieval demonstration mission. We are looking forward to following the in-orbit operations of this milestone mission.”