Photo: Astroscale

Astroscale UK has secured the first commercial order for its second-generation docking plates thanks to a deal with Airbus Defence and Space. Astroscale announced the order for more than 100 docking plates on March 25, the first large-scale commercial adoption of Astroscale’s Gen 2 docking plates by a major industry prime.

The docking plate is designed to simplify in-orbit servicing and enable end-of-life removal. It is able to integrate onto a wide variety of satellite platforms and it is servicer-agnostic to support various docking techniques such as robotic and magnetic capture. As the space industry navigates the growing challenges posed by orbital debris, Astroscale sees innovations like this docking plate as vital to securing the long-term usability of the space environment.

Building on the space-proven ELSA-d and ADRAS-J missions, the docking plate has completed rigorous qualification testing for radiation, UV exposure, vibration, and shock, ensuring a low-risk, production-ready solution. It has a flight lifetime exceeding 15 years and is designed to be a durable and reliable option for long-term satellite missions. It features advanced ferromagnetic technology that Astroscale said allows for reliable capture during servicing while remaining minimally intrusive.

“This milestone order from Airbus underscores the industry’s increasing commitment to sustainable space operations. The Astroscale second-generation docking plate is more than a product; it’s a critical step toward future-proofing satellites for in-orbit servicing and end-of-life debris mitigation. We’re proud to support Airbus to enable a safer, more sustainable orbital environment,” Nick Shave, managing director of Astroscale UK, said in a statement.

Astroscale did not specify what satellite program the docking plates will support, but Airbus recently secured a 100-satellite order from Eutelsat Group for the OneWeb constellation.