ELSA-d Press Kit

2022

ELSA-d Press Kit 2022

Contents
Introducing ELSA-d...................................................... 3
ELSA-d Highlights......................................................... 4
ELSA-d Key Features................................................... 5
Docking Plate.................................................................. 5
Mission Overview........................................................... 6
Mission ConOps............................................................. 7
Mission Statistics............................................................ 9
In-Orbit Servicing Control Centre.......................... 9Launch............................................................................... 10Multimedia........................................................................ 11
About Astroscale.......................................................... 12

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ELSA-d Press Kit 2022

Introducing ELSA-dCreating a sustainable space environment
debris creation and threatening the very services
space systems provide. The European Space Agency
estimates the 5,000 working satellites share theirorbits with more than 9,800 tonnes of space debris,or an estimated 30,630 debris objects tracked by
the Space Surveillance Network. With over 10,000
satellites scheduled to launch in LEO over the next 10years, we need pro-active strategies for post-mission
debris disposal to maintain the safe use of LEO orbits
for the benefit of humankind.

Every day billions of people around the world rely
on data from satellites to go about their lives. We
exchange messages, talk to family and friends,
check the weather and manage finances. Satellites
are also used to manage and mitigate natural
disasters, monitor the Earth’s climate, and provide
national security information. In short, satellite data
powers modern life on Earth. And now the sourcesof this data is at growing risk of being destroyed byspace debris. The rise of large commercial satellite
constellations in low Earth orbit (LEO) will provide
services that improve quality of life on Earth.
They will also lead to an increase in the numberof objects in key orbits, raising the risk of further

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The End-of-Life Services by Astroscale (ELSA)
program is a spacecraft retrieval service forsatellite operators. ELSA-d (demonstration) is the3

ELSA-d Press Kit 2022

Introducing ELSA-d (continued)

Electromagnetic compatibility testing in February 2020

Vibration testing at JAXA’s Tsukuba Space Center in February 2020

first mission to demonstrate the core capabilities
necessary for debris docking and removal.
ELSA-d consists of two spacecraft: a servicer
satellite (~175kg) and a client satellite (~17kg),
launched stacked together. The servicer satellite
was developed to safely remove debris objects
from orbit, equipped with proximity rendezvous
technologies and a magnetic docking mechanism.
The client satellite is a piece of replica debris fittedwith a ferromagnetic plate that enables the docking.
The servicer will repeatedly release and dock withthe client in a series of technical demonstrations,proving the capability to find and dock withdefunct satellites and other debris. Demonstrations
include client search, client inspection, client
rendezvous, and docking. These capabilities are
extremely challenging to demonstrate, and all areeither rarely accomplished in space or are entirelyunprecedented. ELSA-d is operated byAstroscale’s Mission Operations and Ground
Segment teams from the In-orbit Servicing Control

Centre – National Facility at Satellite Applications
Catapult, Harwell Campus, UK.

ELSA-d Highlights	ELSA-d is the world’s first commercial end-toend debris removal demonstration mission.

l	
ELSA-d will demonstrate the end-to-end
debris removal service, including client search,inspection, rendezvous, docking, and de-orbit.
These technologies and capabilities are criticalto debris removal and applicable to a variety ofother on-orbit services.

l	
In addition to the technological demonstrations,
ELSA-d will also develop operational bestpractices in rendezvous and proximity operations.

l	With ELSA-d, Astroscale is launching a new eraof space sustainability and further defining theon-orbit servicing ecosystem.

lPrelaunch checks at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in February 2021

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ELSA-d Press Kit 2022

ELSA-d Key Features	End-to-end rendezvous solution
including far-range and short-range
approachesl	Client search and approach from farrange with relative navigation sensorsl	Fly-around inspections of client withoperator assessmentl	First generation docking plate tested
for commercial release to future proof
satellites and enable removal andservicing if they faill	At-night magnetic capture of clientsl	Re-orbit, de-orbit and passivationcapabilitiesl	Safety evacuations and passively safe
trajectories in mission designl	Full ground segment, customdesigned for on-orbit servicinglDocking PlateT

he servicer is fitted with Astroscale’s first generation
docking plate (DP), successfully tested for the firsttime on August 25, 2021. The plate is an integral part of
ELSA-d’s rendezvous suite and includes retroreflectors
and a fiducial pattern to enable reliable proximity
Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GNC) operations.

The docking plate is now available commercially,
designed with flexible flush mount or different
truss leg size options. Lightweight, unobtrusive andlow in cost, the plate is designed for magnetic androbotic grappling systems to enable de-orbiting
and servicing. Preparing all satellites with a docking
plate will reduce the future costs of removal andensure space remains safe and viable to support thegrowth of our thriving space ecosystem.

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ELSA-d Press Kit 2022

Mission Overview

T

he ELSA-d mission will demonstrate several capabilities and technologies needed for future on-orbit
services. While the ELSA-d mission will prove technologies that can be directly applied to customers,
there are some slight differences to a future servicing mission.
For the ELSA-d mission, the client iscommandable, ensuring demonstrations can betested in a simplified manner earlier in the mission.
The Concept of Operations (ConOps) is designed
to gradually increase the complexity and risk witheach phase and can be adjusted because theservicer is launched together with the client.

The mission ConOps is divided into four phases.
The phases are designed to generally increase incomplexity, ensuring less risky demonstrations areattempted first.

This compares to a full commercial service where
the significant task of finding the client would beamong the first mission actions. In addition toan advanced magnetic rendezvous and docking
suite capture system, the spacecraft will include
other elements of a classical satellite bus: power,propulsion, communications and processing.

Commissioning

LEOP

Test capture

Autonomous capture

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ELSA-d Press Kit 2022

Mission ConOpsServicer

ClientInitial orbit(~550km)

Servicer/Client
Lock deploy

ReleaseProximity
operations

ReleaseTest capture

LEOP

Commissioning

Test capture

Launch and Early Orbit Phase andCommissioning

Autonomous captureof the ELSA-d capture system. During this phase,the client was separated from the servicer for thefirst time for a short distance and then captured tovalidate the magnetic capture system. During thisrelease and capture period, the rendezvous sensors
were checked out and calibrated, and relevant
ground system infrastructure and operational
procedures were verified.

These phases have been successfully completed.
During these phases, the servicer and clientwere launched together into an operational
orbit of roughly 550km. The servicer underwent
commissioning, tested interfaces with the groundsegment and ensured subsystems were calibrated,
resulting in a system that was ready to start thedemonstrations. The client was activated using theclient activation unit and underwent the majority of
its commissioning prior to separation.

Autonomous capture
The method of rendezvous and docking will test
a combination of on-board autonomous softwareand advanced ground processing of telemetry
and commands. After separating from the client,
the servicer will be commanded to initially holdat a set distance and orientation, while training
its sensors on the client. When the client attitudeis determined to be within an acceptable range,
the servicer will be commanded to go in for thecapture. Guided by range sensors and cameras,
the servicer will safely approach the client while its
6-degrees-of-freedom motion control enable it tomatch the rotation rate between the capture device
and client during its final approach, concluding
with a safe capture.

Test captureThis phase was successfully completed on
August 25, 2021. A mechanical locking mechanism
held the client and servicer together during launchand commissioning. The first step of test capture
was to unlock this mechanism to prepare theclient, servicer, and magnetic capture system forthe demonstration. Once unlocked, the magnetic
capture system held the client to the servicer, so it
is now ready to repeatedly capture and release theclient in future demonstrations, a unique feature

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Autonomous
capture7

ELSA-d Press Kit 2022

Mission ConOps (continued)

Test captureThis demonstration will pave the way for
future end-of-life services, with several key
technologies required for capturing orbital
debris to be proven, including:	autonomous guidancel	
navigation and control algorithmsl	
closed loop control with various hardware
navigation sensorsl	
autonomous thruster rendezvous
maneuvering and attitude controll	autonomous 6-degrees-of-freedom rate
matching with the client during final
approach and capturel	full extension and client capture with themagnetic capture mechanisml	complex satellite operational procedures
for rendezvous missions.

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8ELSA-d Press Kit 2022

Mission Statistics
EntityProperty

Value

ServicerSize

Approx. 660 x 640 x 1100mm (with no solar array deployed)

Mass~175kg

GNC (command)

GNC OBC, GNC sensor handling unit

GNC (sensing)		
GNC (actuation)

Star trackers, Gyro sensors, Magnetometers, Sun-sensors, Accelerometers,
GPS receiver
Reaction wheels, Magneto-torquers

GNC (RDV)	Navigation cameras, Visible-range cameras, Blue lighting device,
Laser range finder, Low power radio
CaptureCommsPower		Propulsion

Magnetic capture system
S-band (Uplink, Downlink), X-band (Downlink)
Deployable double solar array, Power distribution module,
Battery control module, Second converter batteries
Green propellant chemical propulsion system

C&DH	Data handling unit (BUS OBCs, TCMs), Spacewire router

ClientOther

Retro-reflector, Client separation mechanism & activation unit

Size

Approx. 480 x 500 x 225mm

Bus~17kg satellite with OBC, EPS, S-band COM, AOCS

Docking plate

First generation docking plate mounted on client

Other

Retroreflector, Visual camera, Illuminator (LEDs)

In-Orbit Servicing Control Centre – National FacilityIn 2018, Astroscale UK was named PrimeContractor of a £4 million grant from UK ResearchInnovation (UKRI) to build an In-Orbit Servicing
Control Centre – National Facility at the Satellite
Applications Catapult in Harwell, Oxfordshire, UK.

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This state-of-the-art facility will form the basis
for future missions to clean up space debris andconduct other on-orbit servicing operations.

9ELSA-d Press Kit 2022

LaunchVehicle:Soyuz-2
Soyuz-2 Cluster Mission: CAS500-1
Orbit:
SSO 497.8 km, LTAN 11.00
Baikonur, KazakhstanSpace Port:
Date & Times:	Liftoff was on
Monday, March 22, 2021, at:www.astroscale.com

09:07

Moscow (MSK)

02:07

Washington, D.C. (EDT)

00:07

Denver (MDT)

15:07

Tokyo (JST)06:07

London (GMT)10

ELSA-d Press Kit 2022

Multimedia

Meet our Mission Operations Team

7 Year Marathon for Clean SpaceBreaking New Ground for On-Orbit
Servicing

Astroscale’s ELSA-d: Leading theWay with On-Orbit Servicing‘Test Capture’ Demo SuccessDisclaimer: The imagery and video footage provided in this gallery are available for media download and use, and must
be credited to Astroscale. They cannot be used for advertising, marketing or to imply endorsement.

See more ELSA-d
images here

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ELSA-d Press Kit 2022

About Astroscale

Astroscale is the first private company witha vision to secure the safe and sustainable
development of space for the benefit of future
generations, and the only company solely
dedicated to on-orbit servicing across all orbits.
Founded in 2013, Astroscale is developing
innovative and scalable solutions across thespectrum of on-orbit servicing missions, including
life extension, in situ space situational awareness,
end-of-life services, and active debris removal,
to create sustainable space systems and mitigate
the growing and hazardous buildup of debris inspace. Astroscale is also defining business cases
and working with government and commercial
stakeholders to develop norms, regulations, andincentives for the responsible use of space.
Headquartered in Japan, Astroscale has aninternational presence with subsidiaries in theUnited Kingdom, the United States, Israel, andSingapore. Astroscale is a rapidly expanding
venture company, working to advance safe andsustainable growth in space and solve a growing
environmental concern.

Stay Connected
Global Communications & Marketing:media@astroscale.com

Japan:
Satoshi Ito
Tel: +81-3-6658-8175

UK and Europe:
Andrea Stewart
Tel: +44 (0) 7528 132 489
Email: a.stewart@astroscale.com

U.S. & Israel:
Dave Hebert or Krystal Scordo
Tel: +1-202-744-8127

ELSA-d website section:
https://astroscale.com/missions/elsa-d#GoELSAd

Singapore
Astroscale Singapore Pte. Ltd. 2013
Tokyo, Japan
Astroscale Holdings Inc.
Astroscale Japan Inc. 2015
Harwell, United Kingdom
Astroscale Ltd 2017
Denver and Washington D.C., USA
Astroscale U.S. Inc. 2019
Tel Aviv, Israel
Astroscale Israel Ltd. 2020

astroscale_HQ

Astroscale

Astroscalewww.astroscale.com

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