Ibadan, 15 October 2024. – D-Orbit has announced at the International Astronautical Congress (IAC) in Milan, the signing of a €119.6 million contract with the European Space Agency (ESA) under the Space Safety program.
The contract establishes a robust, space-proven, commercial-grade in-orbit servicing infrastructure in Europe. As part of the initiative, The Italian Company is developing, launching and demonstrating the capabilities of a vehicle designed to rendezvous with, dock with, and take over the attitude and orbit control functions of another spacecraft for purposes including life extension, relocation, repair, disposal, and more.
A key aspect of this contract is the development of GEA, an innovative satellite platform to demonstrate in-orbit servicing capabilities in geostationary orbit (GEO). This project enjoys support from the Italian government through the Italian Space Agency (ASI), which recognizes the strategic potential of in-orbit servicing for the Italian space industry.
This collaborative project consequently brings key players from across Europe together with diverse expertise and resources, underscoring D-Orbit’s commitment to advancing space logistics and in-orbit servicing. Furthermore, the landmark achievement consolidates D-Orbit’s leadership position in space logistics and emphasizes the growing importance of in-orbit servicing within the global space sector.
Speaking on the, Luca Rossettini, CEO of D-Orbit, commented “Our collaboration with ESA and the support from the Italian government and the Italian Space Agency, along with our European partners, positions us at the forefront of pioneering in-orbit servicing. We are eager to embark on this ambitious project, of which the first mission, called RISE, will mark a new, extraordinary milestone for D-Orbit: the beginning of regular commercial services in geostationary orbit. We are confident in its potential to redefine possibilities within the space industry.”
