Rendering of the European EROSS satellites. Photo: Thales Alenia Space/E.Briot

Thales Alenia Space recently received contracts for space-based carbon monitoring and an in-orbit capture and inspection service, both supported by the France 2030 national investment plan. 

On July 18, Thales announced a deal with French space agency CNES and Bpifrance to lead a consortium along with Magellium Artal Group to demonstrate an in-orbit capture and inspection service, a program dubbed DIANE. This project is part of the France 2030 national investment plan.

The mission is designed to demonstrate an approach to an object representing a deactivated satellite in low orbit, then its direct capture by a robotic arm. This demonstration would be carried out within the scope of the EROSS (European Robotic Orbital Support Services) mission, which has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe programs. 

Separately, Thales announced an award on July 19 for another France 2030 project called Carb-Chaser, to develop a constellation of satellites for high-resolution detection of CO2 emissions. Two upcoming CO2 monitoring satellites in Europe’s Copernicus program will carry payloads supplied by Thales Alenia Space to measure the amount of human-induced CO2 in the atmosphere.