Ibadan, 17 March 2026. – Isar Aerospace has signed a launch contract with Astroscale U.K. for the launch of the latter’s ‘ELSA-M’ In-Orbit Demonstration (IOD) mission aboard Isar Aerospace’s ‘Spectrum’ vehicle from the company’s launch pad at the Andøya Space Center.
The ELSA-M mission is an important step for Astroscale U.K. in introducing routine, scalable in-orbit services that enable satellite operators to responsibly remove space debris. During the mission, Astroscale’s 520 kg ‘ELSA-M’ spacecraft will subsequently capture and remove a decommissioned Eutelsat OneWeb satellite, promoting a sustainable space environment and contributing to the growth of a circular economy in space.
The launch is consequently a significant milestone for Astroscale U.K.’s innovative end-of-life offering and commercial in-orbit maintenance. Furthermore, it is also Isar Aerospace’s first mission contributing to the active removal of space debris, growing the company’s launch portfolio.
“We are delighted about the partnership with Astroscale. The ‘ELSA-M’ in-orbit demonstration showcases the future of active space debris removal and illustrates why customers choose Isar Aerospace: We offer them the necessary flexibility to determine the launch date and target orbit of their payloads themselves.”
“This is our first participation in an active space debris removal mission. We are thus contributing to sustainability in space and supporting Astroscale’s pioneering work,” remarked Stella Guillen, Chief Commercial Officer of Isar Aerospace.
The agreement with Astroscale underscores the strong global demand for flexible launch options from Europe and the confidence that customers worldwide have in Isar Aerospace’s capabilities: For rendezvous missions like this one, specific orbits must be precisely targeted.
“ELSA-M is a major step forward for commercial end-of-life satellite services and builds on Astroscale’s proven capabilities in rendezvous and approach maneuvers,” added Nick Shave, Managing Director of Astroscale UK.
“Isar Aerospace provides both the necessary flexibility in choosing the launch window and the required precision to achieve the target orbit of our rendezvous mission. This is the only way we can offer the active removal of space debris, enabling a more sustainable space environment and a circular economy in space.”
