“We’re not just servicing satellites — we’re reshaping the future of orbital logistics.” – Astroscale US
After an incredible 40th Space Symposium, Torsten Kriening had the pleasure of sitting down once again with Ron Lopez, President & Managing Director of Astroscale U.S., at their Denver facility — one of the coolest offices in the industry, and now a yearly tradition for us.
Key Themes from our Conversation:
💡 Space Symposium 2024:
A strong showing of international military and government presence — more than 50 allied nations in uniform — highlighting the rise of multilateral space collaboration. Despite geopolitical tensions, optimism and partnership were the dominant tones.
Big News:
Astroscale’s APS-R Refueling Mission: Astroscale U.S. announced its first fully funded refueling mission in geostationary orbit (GEO) — the APS-R (Autonomous Proximity Servicing – Refueling) spacecraft.
📌 Launch: Summer 2026
📌 Mission: Serve as a fuel shuttle between Orbit Fab’s “tanker” and the Space Force’s Tetra-5 spacecraft
📌 Total Program Value: $61M (firm fixed-price OTA with U.S. Space Force)
📌 Refueling engagements: Two 6-month operations in GEO
📌 End-of-mission: Responsible disposal to super-GEO graveyard orbit
“This isn’t just a tech demo — it’s operational, it’s real, and it’s happening.”
🧠 Tech Highlights:
• Refueling using the same propulsion system as the spacecraft itself
• Significant mass efficiency and reusability
• Designed for future expansion into multi-fuel services (hydrazine, xenon, etc.) 🔄 On-Orbit Servicing = Sustainability Astroscale’s mission has evolved from ADR (active debris removal) to full-spectrum on-orbit services — including life extension, refueling, RPO, and future satellite upgrades.
“You can’t sell a pound of sustainability, but you can deliver it as a service.”
🌐 Global Footprint:
Updates from Japan, UK, France, Israel, and beyond show strong momentum:
• Astroscale UK: 800 docking plates ordered by Airbus
• Astroscale Japan: Multiple new government contracts for SSA
• Astroscale France: Expanding operations across Europe
📊 Impact & Market Signal:
• Driving a paradigm shift in satellite design and operations
• Unlocking new business models through orbital logistics
• Enabling military flexibility and commercial profitability
📣 SSA & Norms of Behavior:
“Transparency in space is essential — it reduces fog and friction, and prevents miscalculation.”
Astroscale remains committed to operating with clarity and accountability in space.
🧭 Looking Ahead:
Ron promises “more cool things with partners” over the next year — especially in RPO, docking, and ISR — as Astroscale continues to partner across the ecosystem rather than go fully vertical.
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👏 Huge thanks to Ron and the Astroscale U.S. team for the warm welcome and the incredible insights. If this mission is a sign of where we’re heading, the future of on-orbit logistics is not just coming — it’s already here.
