Astroscale Ltd, the UK and European subsidiary of Astroscale Holdings Inc, a market leader in satellite servicing and long-term orbital sustainability, has opened its new Zeus satellite manufacturing and operations facility at the
Harwell Science and Innovation Campus in Oxfordshire.
The UK space industry is growing rapidly, quadrupling in size since 2000, and has ambitious growth plans over the next 10 years. This new, advanced UK facility will enable Astroscale to build satellite debris removal servicer satellites, and rapidly develop its commercial offering in the coming years, helping to further contribute to the growth, innovation, and manufacturing potential of the UK space sector.
The move from Astroscale’s previous premises to the new facility, Zeus, marks a 900% increase in space, covering approximately 20,000ft
2 to accommodate a high-specification satellite manufacturing facility, a satellite operations centre and offices for 120 staff.
Astroscale’s new custom-built UK headquarters will be at the heart of the Harwell Science & Innovation Campus Space Cluster, close to partners including the UK Space Agency, European Space Agency, Satellite Applications Catapult, the STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory. This strategic location will also enable Astroscale to lead development of the in-orbit servicing supply chain and commercial servicing economy through creating new jobs, national capability and world-leading facilities in the UK.
Nobu Okada, founder and CEO of Astroscale, said: “I am delighted to open our new ‘state of the art’ UK premises at the Harwell Science Campus today. This facility will support our ambitious growth plans for the UK business, allowing us to work with our partners to drive forward the development of the in-orbit servicing commercial market in the UK. If we act now, we will ensure a sustainable space economy for future generations.’
Global leadership in space sustainabilityThe UK continues to be a leader in both the policy and technology development for space debris removal and sustainability. Recent strategic announcements include the
UK National Space Strategy in 2021, the UK Space Agency’s Corporate Plan 2022-25, and more recently the
Plan for Space Sustainability published in June, which highlight the UK Government’s commitment to build on the UK’s early mover advantage in space robotics and In-Orbit Servicing and Manufacturing (IOSM) to establish global leadership in space sustainability.
Dr Paul Bate, chief executive of the UK Space Agency (pictured right), said: “With nearly 5,000 operational satellites and over 30,000 pieces of trackable debris, the ability to operate safely in space is growing increasingly challenging.
“The UK is leading efforts to make space more sustainable and we are backing companies, such as Astroscale, to design innovative new missions to clear hazardous space junk. It’s fantastic to see this state of the art facility open, bringing new capabilities to the UK and creating more than 100 jobs at the Harwell Space Cluster.”
In addition, Astroscale has shown its international reach, developed from its roots in Asia (Japan, Singapore), into the UK in 2017, the USA in 2019 and Israel in 2020. Inward investment and British investment, both Government and private sector, will remain critical at this transformational stage of the in-orbit servicing market.
Nick Shave, Astroscale Ltd managing director (pictured left), said: “We want debris removal and in-orbit servicing to be part of routine operations by 2030. We can only deliver this through working in close partnership with Government and industry stakeholders who share our ambition to push the boundaries of innovation and space technology. Together we can create an in-orbit economy and new high-value jobs that will ensure space remains safe and sustainable for future generations.”