The developer of the ELSA-d spacecraft, Astroscale, continues to work on site 92 of the Baikonur cosmodrome in preparation for the upcoming launch. At the moment, the software, solar batteries and their opening mechanisms have been successfully tested, the on-board batteries are charged, the electrical checks of the device have been completed.
The ELSA-d mission will be the first to showcase the basic technologies needed to dock and remove “space debris” – a key step towards expanding the range of orbital services and achieving Astroscale’s vision of space as a long-term safe space for the future generations.
The refueling team, which prepares the spacecraft for launch, has passed an important stage – on February 23, 2021, it completed the filling of ELSA-d with environmentally friendly “green” fuel. ELSA-d will be sent to site 31 for final checks and integration as part of the space warhead of the Soyuz-2.1a rocket.
Key capabilities of the ELSA-d spacecraft:
- Complex solution for rendezvous and docking, including operations for rendezvous from long and short distances;
- search and rendezvous with an object, using absolute and relative navigation;
- inspection with flying around the object with the operator’s assessment;
- a docking plate for easy removal of debris;
- magnetic capture of a stabilized and randomly rotating object at night;
- re-entry, de-orbiting and re-entry capabilities;
- safety evacuation and passively safe trajectories as part of the mission program;
- full-scale ground segment customized for customer to provide service in orbit.
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Astroscale is the first privately held company to see its goal of providing long-term safe space for the benefit of future generations, and the only company dedicated exclusively to providing services in all types of orbits.
Founded in 2013, Astroscale develops innovative and scalable solutions for a range of in-orbit maintenance missions (including life extension, local situational awareness, end-of-life services, and active removal of “space debris”) to create long-term space systems and solve the problem of dangerous accumulation of space debris. Astroscale also defines business models and works with interested government and commercial players to develop regulations and incentives for the responsible use of space.