A pit-stop for satellites
The new frontier of In-Orbit Servicing for interoperable, sustainable space missions - and Italy is taking the lead
SPACE FOR LIFE
WE BELIEVE IN SPACE AS HUMANKIND’S NEW HORIZON TO BUILD A BETTER, SUSTAINABLE LIFE ON EARTH
Space Factory and In-Orbit Servicing: Italy building the future of space by Enrica Battifoglia
In-Orbit Servicing for sustainable, safe space missions by Fulvia Croci
commitment
In-Orbit Servicing missions - Italy takes the lead
The IOS Mission: Italian vision and know-how conquer low orbit by Manuela Proietti
Thales Alenia Space: In-Orbit Servicing solutions to safeguard satellite operations by Editorial Staff 36 a close look at sMes The Tyvak International model: an Italian scale-up in the New Space industry by Silvia Ciccarelli
Sustainability in space: a paradigm shift with RISE by Mila Fiordalisi
Product Assurance considerations for IOS by Rita Carpentiero and Vincenzo Martucci
A view from space for the city of the future: e-GEOS support for Roma Capitale by Editorial Staff
ISOS4I: Europe prepares for space by Salvatore Pignataro
Europe’s ISOS4I Pilot Mission, with Italy betting on its system capacity by Giuseppina Pulcrano
From debris disposal to robotic servicing: Europe leads the development of ISOS by Gianluca Liorni
Satellite “service stations” - business is booming by Silvia Martone e Valeria Guarnieri
38
FS: 1,200 building construction sites for future mobility by Editorial Staff 40
Robotic servicing in space: US and Canada take up the gauntlet by Gloria Nobile
Cutting edge proposals from Asia for in-Orbit Servicing by Gianluca Dotti
Novaeka: modular fluidic subsystem by Editorial Staff
featured Geopolitica dello Spazio (The Geopolitics of Space) by Giuseppina Pulcrano
Proietti, ASI Digital Communications Manager Editor Giuseppe Nucera
Scientific consultant
Enrico Cavallini, Head of ASI’s Space Access and Orbital Services Officea
Marcello Di Costa, Head of ASI's In-Orbit Servicing and Space-based Traffic Management Sector
Graphic design Paola Gaviraghi
Cover In-Orbit Servicing.
Credits:
Thales Alenia Space
The Space Factory and In- Orbit Servicing: Italy building the future of space
by Enrica Battifoglia
President Teodoro Valente: working on self-sustainable infrastructure
A Space Factory capable of building at least two satellites per week, combined with in-orbit services for maintenance and data processing: Italy's space industry is preparing for the technologically advanced future. These are two of the innovations made possible by the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR), along with highly secure satellite communication services for government use (SatCom), and the In-Orbit Economy, which envisages a demonstrator for in-orbit servicing, surveillance and tracking space debris.
With an overall vision that ranges from research to production, PNRR projects aim not only to make Italian industry more competitive in space, but also to promote the digital and green transition, while fostering economic growth.
The Italian Space Agency is at the forefront of these developments, and the condition for success is the prompt achievement of all milestones. «We are perfectly in line with the targets set by the PNRR for 2026, and will be able to achieve them on schedule», notes ASI President Teodoro Valente. «The priorities set out in the PNRR follow the same line of European cooperation, taking for example the very important topic of new propulsion systems, and with public-private partnerships like those envisaged for the creation of space factories in the service of digitisation and satellite manufacturing».
At the core of the PN rr
The first Space Factory to be brought on line in Italy was the Argotec SpacePark in Turin, followed by the CESI Space division in Milan which produces next-generation solar cells, and SITAEL's Space Factory in Mola di Bari. Rome will also see the inauguration of Thales Alenia Space Italia’s Space Smart Factory (Thales-Leonardo), which was recently visited by the Director General of the European Space Agency, Josef Aschbacher. Production of more than 100 satellites per year is envisaged. Modular clean rooms and digital techniques also make it possible to reconfigure the systems for different production runs, thus enabling the integration and testing of different types of satellites, including Earth observation, navigation and space telecommunications satellites. Finally, a new Italian Aerospace Research Centre (CIRA) is planned, charged with testing acoustic excitation loads at launch (Direct Field Acoustic Noise).
These are «important initiatives» that will «speed up production», says Valente, so much so that «we expect to produce more than two satellites a week in coming years».
Among the other flagship initiatives envisaged by the PNRR and managed by ASI in collaboration with ESA, Valente mentions those relating to the «strengthening of Earth Observation activities, in which Italy has always been a global leader. I am referring to the Iride programme, a constellation of satellite constellations equipped with differentiated sensors, which also serves the public authorities in disaster prevention, land monitoring and intelligent agriculture». Following the launch of a first satellite in January 2025, seven more satellites were put into orbit by June.
«Other new projects», Valente continues, «include surveillance systems, like the new Flyeye telescopes, the first of which was installed at the ASI centre in Matera by ESA». They owe their name to their resemblance to the eye of a fly, since they use a multitude of cameras and lenses, dividing each section of the sky into 16 smaller images in order to expand
Rendering of a Space Factory. Credits: Thales Alenia Space
the field of view and make surveillance of near-Earth asteroids more efficient.
The project involves a network of four ASI telescopes to be installed around the world, which will be capable of monitoring the entire night sky. The final planned location for the first Italian Flyeye telescope is Sicily, on the summit of Mount Mufara at an altitude of 1,865 metres.
In-OrbI t Serv IcIng, the future Of Space
One of the most forward-looking chapters of the PNRR concerns In-Orbit Servicing (IOS) operations, i.e. the maintenance, repair, upgrading and refuelling of satellites while still in orbit.
«Italy is playing a leading role in this sector: it is the first European country to have a demonstrator mission in low orbit aimed at developing and implementing the necessary technologies. Playing an active role in this sector is very important, because developing in-orbit services contributes to the sustainability of space, such as the reduction of space debris and servicing activities. These greatly extend the operational life of spacecraft». If we think of the huge number of satellites needed for critical terrestrial activities such as geo-localisation, communications and Internet access, weather forecasting and environmental monitoring, it is easy to understand how important such services are. It is a gamechanger for low orbit vehicles, and will change how they are designed and built in the future.
The contract for the first Italian In-Orbit Servicing (IOS) mission, for a total of EUR 350 million, includes the design, development and qualification of a vehicle for the demonstrator mission. It was signed in May 2023 by ASI and Thales Alenia Space as the representative of a Temporary Business Grouping comprising private sector companies Leonardo, Telespazio, Avio and D-Orbit.
«A large group of Italian companies will be involved in testing the enabling technologies for future in-orbit servicing missions, including refuelling, component repair and replacement, orbital transfer and atmospheric re-entry», says Valente. This will be made possible by the robotic arm developed by Leonardo in collaboration with SAB Aerospace, the National Institute of Nuclear Physics (INFN) and the Italian Institute of Technology (IIT). Telespazio, together with Altec, is responsible for the design, development and validation of the ground segment of the demonstrator mission, while Avio will design and develop the Orbital Support and Propulsion Module and space logistics company D-Orbit will manage the development of the satellite platform, based on the company's proprietary ION (InOrbit NOW) platform, as well as the refuelling system.
«We aim to be at the forefront of In-Orbit Servicing. Once the Italian demonstrator mission has launched, we will move on to the first operational mission. We are working in this direction», notes the ASI president, «with a dual objective of enhancing our national expertise in this fledgling sector and strengthening Italy's competitiveness at the European level».
At the European level, Valente continues, «we are participants in ESA’s RISE project, the first mission to reach a geostationary satellite and dock with it». «Geostationary orbit is less crowded but still very important», he notes, «because that is where telecommunications satellites, including those used for TV broadcasts and weather forecasting, are located. Extending the operational life of geostationary satellites is an important objective».
For the RISE mission, scheduled for launch in 2028, ESA signed a €119 million contract with Italian company D-Orbit as co-funder and prime contractor.
beyOnd the pnrr
While the PNRR has laid the foundations for expanding Italy's leadership in many emerging sectors, the question arises as to how to continue to grow this leadership after 2026, when the PNRR will conclude. «Our primary objective is to make the infrastructure 100% operational: it will be self-sustaining when it is supported by commercial services», says Valente.
Italy is the first European country to have a demonstrator mission in low orbit, with the aim of developing and implementing necessary technologies.
At the same time, Italian space is also looking to the future with participation in major international ventures, including the Artemis Moon programme. «Our country's participation is important. Just consider the bilateral agreement between ASI and NASA for the construction of the Lunar Surface Housing Module». The MPH (Multi-Purpose Habitation module), which will house astronauts on future missions to the Moon, will be built in Italy by Thales Alenia Space and is expected to take around two years to reach the development phase. The design, on which Italy has been working since late January 2024, has been approved by NASA and work on its implementation is now underway.
Still with a view to the Moon, Italy is also playing a leading role in the construction of the Gateway space station's habitation module for lunar orbit. It was built in Italy and the first of the five pressurised modules,
ASI President Teodoro Valente
HALO, is now in the American facilities of Northrop Grumman in Gilbert, Arizona. The next Gateway module, the Lunar I-Hab, is now being built at Thales Alenia Space’s Turin complex. These are new, significant acknowledgements of Italy's decades of experience in the construction of pressurised modules: after having made a fundamental contribution to the International Space Station, building more than half of the habitable modules, Italy is now working on the first space station outside Earth orbit.
But the cuts announced by the Trump administration will have a strong impact on the Artemis programme and many NASA exploration programmes in general. NASA is going through a difficult time in comparison to when it launched the Artemis programme and initiated the related projects. The projected cuts could
We are readying ourselves for an epochal change, the private sector will be the new leaders in the space industry.
throw many programmes into disarray, and currently we just have to wait and see. «We will have to wait to see how NASA intends to proceed», says Valente. In the meantime, Europe is moving forwards: «we have decided, with ESA, to continue to support existing programmes, and the next cabinet meeting will discuss projects such as the Argonaut lander, in which Italy is playing an important role», he says. Capable of surviving the harsh lunar nights and days for at least five years, Argonaut will make it possible to transport equipment, experiments, vital resources like food and water, and much more to the Moon, thus providing Europe with autonomous access to the Moon. In January 2025, ESA signed an €862 million contract with Thales Alenia Space.
L egISL atIOn fOr the Space ecOnOM y
In the light of all this, it is clear that Italy is readying itself to face an epochal change in its space activities, characterised by the transition from a period in which the management of missions was entrusted to government programmes to a new era in which the private sector will be the new leading players in space. In order to flourish in this very interesting future, Italy is drawing up the Space Law, a measure that the president of ASI calls «an epochal step for the Italian industry. This is a critical tool for Italy, which», he adds, «will enable it to consolidate its leadership at the international level». It is a cutting edge instrument, the implementing decrees for which will soon be issued, in order to must define in detail how it will be applied. «Things are moving quickly, thanks to the cooperation between ASI and the Ministry of Enterprise and the Made in Italy Brand and other authorities», says Valente.
«The new law has two major aspects», he continues. «One concerns ASI, which will play a very important role because it will be the national authority for the technical regulation of all projects conducted in Italy itself. The other concerns measures to promote investment in the space economy, in order to give concrete support to start-ups and established companies and boost innovative technologies and infrastructure. This», he emphasises, «extremely important».
Another critical aspect is that «Italy is the first country to have adopted a framework law on the Space Economy, even before Europe. Our country therefore plays an important role in Europe, in view of the Space Law», adds Valente, referring to the European Union's proposed law that «aims to establish common rules for space activities in EU member states».
In-OrbIt ServIcIng for sustainable, safe space missions
by Fulvia Croci
the development of In-Orbit Servicing is one of the most promising areas of the space industry
Space is a strategic industry that has grown in recent years, bringing diversified benefits to a variety of stakeholders on a daily basis. From scientific research to Earth observation and satellite broadband, the space economy has established itself as a pillar for many industries. However, in the face of increased orbital activity, the need to ensure the sustainability, security and operational continuity of space infrastructure is a growing concern.
The growth of the space economy is reflected in the exponential increase in the number of satellites launched in recent years, mainly for communication constellations, which are being joined by those for Earth observation and Positioning-Navigation-Timing (PNT). This orbital overcrowding incurs an increased risk of collision, and compromises the safety of space operations (including those of astronauts in Earth orbit). Without effective action, the likelihood of triggering a chain reaction of collisions and exponentially growing the amount of debris in space, a phenomenon known as the Kessler syndrome, continues to increase, and could make space exploration more challenging for future generations while increasing the risks for current orbiting satellites.
In response to these considerations, a new class of space services has been conceived: In-Orbit Servicing (IOS). These services answer the need to make space safer, more sustainable and more flexible. The
modern IOS concept got a boost in the Eighties with the first satellite maintenance operations implemented with the Space Shuttle. A prominent example is the servicing of the Hubble Space Telescope, starting in 1993, which demonstrated how it is possible to extend the operational life of orbital infrastructures with direct maintenance in orbit.
In-orbit servicing comprises a series of operations performed by specially designed spacecraft, sometimes called 'servicers', for other orbital infrastructures. These range from refuelling, maintenance and repair, to end-of-life management (de-orbiting and re-orbiting). Other services include orbital relocation, collision avoidance manoeuvres, close inspection, in-orbit assembly/manufacture, and 'station keeping', to keep a satellite in its orbital position. Thes types of operation require the servicer satellites to be equipped with autonomous software and hardware, such as robotic mechanisms and sensors, and the ability to safely and autonomously rendezvous with client satellites so as to dock with them and perform the operations required for the services themselves.
The development of in-orbit servicing is one of the most complex areas of the modern space industry. The potential offered by these technologies may revolutionise the way space missions are conceived. And yet the path to full deployment of IOS services is fraught with technological and regulatory challenges.
As far as the technological challenges are concerned, one of the main difficulties lies in the lack of standardised interfaces for docking with satellites to service them. Satellites currently in orbit have not been designed and built with special docking functions to enable servicing by servicer satellites.
As a result, current developments in servicer satellites are focussing on the creating advanced, flexible technologies that can adapt to the varied structural characteristics of satellites already in orbit.
It is to be hoped that in the medium to long term, standards for operations and for mechanical, electrical and fluid system interfaces will be established for both future servicer and client satellites. The dissemination of internationally recognised standards is critical to rolling out IOS services in such a way as to
artist’s view of the clearspace mission, which combines advanced robotic technologies and autonomous operation to reduce the growing problem of debris in orbit. credits: clearspace
benefit from economies of scale. Another critical consideration concerns the operational autonomy of servicer satellites. Manoeuvring spacecraft to rendezvous with other satellites and the robotic procedures required for IOS cannot be managed in real time and from Earth due to latency in communications and limited windows of visibility.
On must therefore develop advanced on-board software that - using AI among others - can use the satellite’s own sensing capacities and guidance, navigation and control systems, along with robotic technologies capable of handling complex operations autonomously and safely, thus minimising the risks of collision and error.
In addition to the technical challenges, the development of IOS services goes hand in hand with a number of legislative and regulatory issues that need to be
addressed in depth. In such a complex environment as space, where public and private, geo-political and economic interests coexist, it is essential to define a regulatory framework with the greatest international application possible, while respecting the responsibilities of States already enshrined in international agreements on the responsible and peaceful use of space and the exploitation of its resources.
Specifically, IOS services involve rendezvousing and interacting with other spacecraft, which may have proprietary or sensitive technologies on board which are protected by industrial or national security regulations. In addition, rendezvous operations between satellites are inherently among the riskiest of all manoeuvres. In this scenario, it is essential to establish transparent rules that set out the rights, duties, responsibilities and limits of all stakeholders, while respecting shared principles of sustainability, security, sovereignty and intellectual property.
a stronaut f story musgrave, anchored at the end of the remote manipulator system (rms) arm, prepares to be lifted to the top of the Hubble space telescope to install protective covers over its magnetometers. credits: nasa
The ITalIan commITmenT to the new challenge of In-orbIt ServIcIng
by Marcello Di Costa
In recent years, space activities, and consequently the number of spacecraft in Earth orbit, have been increasing to globally provide high value-added services and products to other sectors of the economy, both for the government and private citizens.
This evolution of the space economy has led to the emergence of new challenges: from the need to make space activities safe for people, the environment and material goods, including with regulations and technical standards, to the growing need for private space agencies and operators to pursue the economic sustainability of business models and the environmental sustainability of space use itself.
This context of an expanding space industry has resulted in the need to develop In-Orbit Servicing services. These are a real gamechanger for space operations and the space economy, providing a new flexibility for the space industry by inserting it into the traditional space value chain. "We are at a paradigm shift for space activities," explains Enrico Cavallini, Head of ASI's Space Access and In-Orbit Services Office, "in which space is becoming increasingly strategic and fundamental to the provision of services for terrestrial activities and to the development of space exploration, and in which in-orbit servicing activities will play a fundamental role in developing a space ecosystem composed of the interoperability between space assets and space asset upgradation, maintenance and improvement services, as well as sustainability of the space environment to avoid overcrowding of orbits and space logistics.” Given the evident importance of In-Orbit Services in Europe and worldwide, over the last few years ASI has conceived and planned a series of investments to bring the technologies, satellite platforms and operational capabilities of the national value chain to a point of maturity, so that it can play a strategic role in the global In-Orbit Services market in the near future. Some of these programmes
Credits: ASI
are financed and managed directly by the Italian Space Agency (ASI), including the 'IOS Demo Mission', IPERDRONE and SpEye. Others are funded by Italy as part of ESA programmes, led by the Italian private sector; these include ADRIOS-RISE, Space Rider, SROC and e-INSPECTOR.
ASI's long-term vision and co-ordination are enabling synergy and integration between these lines of programme and technology development and capabilities ranging from rendezvous, proximity and docking operations to inspection operations, from re-fuelling to the assembly of mechanical components, from attitude stabilisation manoeuvres to orbital change manoeuvres, from in-orbit validation and demonstration tests (IOV/IOD) to de-orbiting, as
Iperdrone.
well as the ability to run experiments in micro-gravity and transport into and from space.
At the same time, Italy, via ASI, is also playing a management role at other levels complementary to these technical advances, such as national regulatory developments concerning In-Orbit Servicing activities, so that risks can be mitigated and the fundamental principles of safety, security and environmental, social and economic sustainability are respected.
Of these Italian programmes, ASI principal project in the area of In-Orbit Servicing is the IOS Demo Mission, financed under the PNRR (NextGenerationEU) and the National Supplementary Fund.
In 2023, ASI signed a contract for the development of a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) demonstrator mission; this is an ambitious mission, the first and most advanced of its kind in Europe, and consequently the most costly in terms of investment, at €235 million for the development of the mission and its flight and ground segments. A further €55 million has been awarded to
Avio under a different contract for the development of green space logistics technologies. This programme includes the design and development of the in-orbit demonstrator mission up to qualification on the ground, and more specifically:
• ground qualification of the space segment consisting of two satellites: a servicer to implement the services and a client/target satellite; the servicer will be equipped with autonomous robotic technologies;
• qualification of the ground mission control and management segment;
• definition of a demonstrator mission profile, consisting of a succession of in-orbit operations following an incremental capability profile: inspection, proximity operations, cooperative and non-cooperative docking to the client satellite, demonstration propellant refuelling, assembly, servicer take-over of the client/target satellite, re-location and final safe de-orbiting.
“We designed the IOS Demo Mission,” says Enrico Cavallini, “to enable Italian industry to play a leading role in the European space industry, bridging the technological and system capacity gap needed to enable new in-orbit services and operations and new space logistics services using green propellants, following a logic of in-orbit capability demonstration with incremental risk profiles, and for the development of green space logistics, implementing a concept of lean, rapid development towards prototyping and experimentation.” The responsibilities of the companies making up the RTI in the design of the various elements of the mission are as follows:
Iperdrone
assembly. Credits: ASI
The main aSI project in the area of In- orbit Servicing is the IoS Demo mission.
• Thales Alenia Space Italia: contractor, system design authority for the servicer mission and satellite platform;
• Leonardo: robotic system (supported by subcontractor SAB Aerospace)
• Avio: service and propulsion module for the servicer
• D-Orbit: client/target satellite
• Telespazio: ground segment
The ultimate aim of this investment by ASI is to increase the capacity and technological readiness of Italy's space industry in order to achieve a strategic positioning in the field of In-Orbit Servicing in the short to medium term, by exploiting the excellence already demonstrated by the industries making up the RTI: from space robotics to artificial intelligence, sensor technology to autonomous proximity operations and guidance-navigation and control to propulsion.
In-Orbit Servicing missionsItaly takes the lead
The new frontier of In-Orbit Servicing (IOS) sees Italy at the forefront thanks to three IOS missions run by the Italian Space Agency and another three managed by ESA with Italian industry taking the lead.
Managed by: ASI, financed under the PNRR with European funding from NextGenerationEU and the national Complementary Fund (CF)
Project team: Thales Alenia Space Italia (contractor), Leonardo, Telespazio, Avio and D-Orbit
Mission description and objectives: low Earth orbit demonstrator mission aimed at qualifying critical enabling technologies, system competences and operational capabilities specific to future IOS missions, and performing various robotic operations according to an incremental capability profile
Status of development: Preliminary Design Review closing with entry into
Managed by: ASI
Project team: Tyvak International, Kayser Italia, CIRA
Mission description and objectives: to develop a system capable of performing In-Orbit Servicing operations, via a series of missions with incremental objectives up to atmospheric re-entry. The first mission, IPERDRONE.0, demonstrated the operability of the propulsion system and the capability of proximity and inspection operations around a non-cooperative target in LEO orbit, applying high safety standards
Status of development: the first IPERDRONE.0 mission, launched in 2024, was concluded successfully in May 2025
Managed by: ASI as part of the ALCOR programme
Project team: TSD Space (prime contractor), D-Orbit, Planetek Italia, T4i, Polimi, University of Naples Federico II
Mission description and objectives: two-satellite demonstrator mission (one target satellite and one 8U 'free flyer' CubeSat for inspection) for the in-flight validation of enabling technologies and methods related to advanced inspection operations, in-orbit rendezvous (under both co-operative and non-cooperative conditions) and formation flight
Status of development: preliminary design in progress - Preliminary Design Review scheduled for January 2026
IOS DEMO MISSION
SPEYE
IPERDRONE
ADRIOS-RISE
Managed by: ESA with Italian industrial lead, public and industrial co-financing
Project team: D-Orbit (Prime contractor)
Mission description and objectives: to demonstrate the safe docking and takeover (AOCS takeover) of a client satellite in GEO orbit with a view to station keeping and re-orbiting manoeuvres. Once the demonstrator mission is completed, the satellite will remain in orbit for a further 7 years, and be available for similar commercial missions
Status of development: phase B2 ongoing
E-INSPECTOR
SROC (SPACE RIDER OBSERVER CUBE)
Managed by: ESA with Italian industrial lead, financed under the GSTP Fly programme
Project team: Tyvak International, Turin Polytechnic, University of Padua, Stellar Project
Mission description and objectives: CubeSat 12U demonstrator mission for low Earth orbit demonstration of In-Orbit Servicing technologies for inspection, rendezvous and docking activities
Development status: Preliminary Design Review closed - entering phase C
Managed by: ESA with Italian industrial lead, financed under the GSTP Fly programme
Project team: Polytechnic University of Milan, Leonardo, Leaf Space, T4i
Mission description and objectives: CubeSat 12U to inspect and characterise space debris (e.g. a decommissioned launch vehicle stage), and acquire images of it at close range to reconstruct its dynamics (orbit determination) and shape
Development status: Preliminary Design Review closed - entering phase C
Infographic by Giuseppe Nucera. Drawing by Paola Gaviraghi
Imagine a multipurpose satellite, capable of moving through space using a state-of-theart green engine and rendezvousing with another spacecraft in total autonomy, using precise computing systems based on artificial intelligence.
The IOS MISSIOn: ItalIan vIsIon and know-how conquer low orbIt
by Manuela Proietti
In-Orbit Servicing is an accelerator for the entire national industrial ecosystem, a real test bed for innovation in space.
Let’s assume that, once it has rendezvoused with its target, this robot can perform a series of tasks with and without the cooperation of the client satellite, such as repairs and maintenance, refuelling and component assembly. Or maybe it will be able to correct the orbit of a vehicle or remove debris: basically, a kind of specialised orbital mechanic and garbage disposal unit rolled into one, a synthesis of Guido from Cars and Wall-e. But we are not in a film: this is a preview of the near future being shaped by the In-Orbit Servicing (IOS) Demo Mission, a pioneering programme devised and coordinated by the Italian Space Agency and financed through PNRR funds as part of NextGenerationEU. The project design and development were handled by a temporary grouping of companies consisting of Thales Alenia Space Italy (a joint venture between Thales 67% and Leonardo 33%), acting as agent, Avio, D-Orbit, Leonardo and Telespazio (a joint venture between Leonardo 67% and Thales 33%).
IOS is a project with a total value of EUR 350 million, in which Italy will be the first in Europe to develop and acquire a comprehensive package of advanced skills for space logistics services in Low Earth Orbit (LEO).
In a context where LEO missions are continually on the rise, the needs of operators are evolving and, at the same time, there is a need to make space activities more sustainable, the area of in-orbit servicing (IOS) is emerging as an important strategic asset. This is a sector in which Italy has invested ahead of its time, thanks to its vision and pooling of knowhow over the last 20 years. In this area, Italy is a genuine first mover. How did we get here? We put the question to Massimo Claudio Comparini, Managing Director of Leonardo's Space Division, and Roberto Formaro, Director of Engineering and Technology at the Italian Space Agency.
Massimo Claudio Comparini: This is not the first time that Italy has been ahead of the curve. In the second half of the Nineties, Italy's conceived and developed its first radar-based Earth observation system. This kind of capacity may be taken for granted today, especially in the light of the crucial role played by geoinformation data, but at the time it was the outcome of a visionary insight. Similarly, the idea of setting up a special IOS programme within the framework of the PNRR stems from the realisation that low Earth orbit will continue to grow and will need - as we can see - space logistics as well as infrastructure lifecycle management services. This is coupled with the desire to address the problem of debris in a systemic manner.
Roberto Formaro: IOS is rooted in several lines of development. With projects like COSMO-SkyMed and the habitat modules for the ISS, Italy has built solid expertise in systems which provide the basis for today's IOS capability, both nationally and internationally.
Since 2010, investments in technology have also generated growth in capability which is significant even at the European level. Between 2015 and 2016, the need to develop cross-cutting interoperability concepts emerged, both in exploration - where different systems need to talk to each other - and in orbit management, for instance for constellations requiring operational support and maintenance.
IOS falls under the broader discipline of Space Traffic Management, which also includes the management
In-Orbit Servicing.
Credits: Thales
Alenia Space
of space debris. In this area, we have developed programmes on small satellites and large platforms, which were also realised thanks to PNRR funds in a national mission that integrates operational capability and technological expertise in a unified strategic vision.
What returns do you expect from this mission, both in terms of technology and operational capabilities and skills?
Comparini: We expect major returns, both technological and operational. The mission covers five priority areas for in-orbit operations: relocation, deorbiting, refuelling and repairing, assembly and active debris removal. This means operations such as the assembly of infrastructures directly in space (in-orbit manufacturing), refuelling to extend the operational life of satellites - also with propulsion modules - and the removal of large space debris.
On the technological side, the mission involves advanced handling solutions, such as robotic arms developed by Leonardo, the ability to operate in close proximity to other assets, in which ALTEC has strong experience, and Telespazio's expertise in the management and control of complex missions. Artificial Intelligence also plays a central role, especially in synthetic vision and the recognition of the physical and functional characteristics of other satellites or space infrastructures. To sum up, we aim to acquire and consolidate the ability to operate in orbit, offering high value-added services both commercially and to protect and keep critical space infrastructures secure.
Formaro: In-Orbit Servicing is key to addressing the increasing complexity of space systems while ensuring that they are sustainable.
IOS will enable in-orbit maintenance services, paving the way for a new generation of satellites designed to be reconfigurable while in orbit, able to adapt to a variety of missions and be reconditioned to extend their operational life.
The management of non-cooperative objects will contribute significantly to the reduction of space debris, while the possibility of integrating and repairing assets directly in orbit will make systems more resilient and efficient.
All these elements mark an evolution towards increasingly complex and sustainable space infrastructures, with a positive impact on the cost-benefit ratio for the entire community. Ultimately, the IOS mission will enable us to think differently about how we use orbits, and will influence how we design and develop future space systems.
The IOS Demo Mission involves two satellites: the target, i.e. the satellite platform that will receive the services, and the servicer which, equipped with an arm and other robotic technologies, will perform the operational procedures mentioned above in total autonomy. This is a unique mission that makes the most of Italian know-how acquired over the years. Comparini: Safely rendezvousing with an orbiting object, docking with it and then running complex operational procedures like refuelling, repair, deorbiting or attitude control - this all requires the integration of numerous technologies and skills. IOS brings together the entire national industrial ecosystem, integrating advanced skills and technologies from the robotic arm born of Leonardo's consolidated experience, to Telespazio and ALTEC’s mission control centres; from data extraction and management capabilities, to Thales Alenia Space Italia's established space module construction know-how. The system also involves Avio's propulsion systems and a target platform provided by D-Orbit. It is a comprehensive and well-distributed value chain, integra ting large companies, SMEs, start-ups and high-tech players. It’s also a concrete example of Italy’s ability to express value along the entire space industry value chain.
credibly in the space economy, ensuring not only the long-term sustainability, but also the safety of LEO operations.
Formaro: Europe is assessing the development of strategic assets for orbital services both for defence and for civil applications. IOS is an important precursor to such concepts in terms of size and operational complexity.
In this scenario, having developed autonomous solutions at the national level will enable us to participate competitively in such future projects. Thanks to our mission, Italian companies will be among the first on the international scene with the ability to propose a commercial implementation of in-orbit servicing, and thus offer concrete services to satellite operators and take a strong position in this new market ahead of the competition.
In-Orbit Servicing and its applications are still in their infancy, but clear paths to development are already in sight. To what extent can this sector act as a driver of the space economy in Italy over the next few years?
Comparini: I believe that IOS is an accelerator for the entire national industrial ecosystem, a real test bed for innovation in space.
Formaro: IOS is an extremely complex mission, embracing a variety of levels of difficulty. In the first phase, we will rendezvous with other objects in orbit in a collaborative mode, to test the interoperability of diverse space assets - a strategic capability for our national system.
In the next phase, we will operate with an object experiencing control difficulties. This - attitude recovery - is where advanced technologies, including robotic systems and artificial intelligence-based solutions, will come into play. This requires us to acquire and analyse a large amount of data to characterise the target and define an effective recovery strategy. This part of the mission will allow us to validate key competences in interacting with out-of-control assets, with important spin-offs for our national ability to mitigate space debris.
What kind of strategic positioning will Italy be able to achieve at the European and global level as a result of the development of the IOS mission?
Comparini: I believe that a true space logistics system is emerging, and that it will play a key role in several key areas of operation: from docking and operations in proximity to other assets, to in-orbit assembly and the protection of space infrastructure.
Today, In-Orbit Servicing is still in its infancy, but it promises to be a milestone capability. If we consider the 3Cs - Congested, Contested, Competitive - as characteristic of low Earth orbit, it is evident that these capabilities are of strategic importance even now. Having established expertise in IOS will position us
Roberto Formaro, Director of Engineering and Technology, Italian Space Agency
In this strategic phase, we should not be expecting immediate commercial returns: investing in this emerging domain today means looking to the future and building the foundations for a leading role over the next ten years.
Just as thirty years ago Italy had the vision to focus on Earth observation, today it is making an equally far-sighted choice by investing in In-Orbit Servicing.
Formaro: Over the last ten years, Italy has developed a complete and well-structured space industry value chain. After having built major system capabilities with programmes like COSMO-SkyMed, the ISS habitat modules and the Vega launcher - our large national space systems - we have now developed a fabric of small and medium-sized companies. Alongside the big players, smaller operators have emerged who, thanks to programmes using small satellites, have been able to develop their own systems expertise.
Today, these actors are able to build autonomous platforms with integrated advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence and robotics. Thanks to continuous investment over the last two decades, Italy has thus established well-rounded space value chain which is able to respond to any level of complexity.
Of course, large systems require the contribution of large players, but the development of small and medium-sized solutions can be effectively entrusted to a network of highly specialised SMEs. And it is precisely this combination of large and small players that characterises the excellence of the Italian model.
Massimo Claudio Comparini, Managing Director of Leonardo's Space Division
TECHNOLOGY FOR A SAFER FUTURE
Thales alenia space: In-OrbIt ServIcIng
SOlutIOnS tO Safeguard SatellIte OperatIOnS
by Editorial Staff
Geolocation, connectivity, weather forecasting, and environmental monitoring are among the activities linked to the exponential increase in the number of satellites orbiting the Earth. Thales Alenia Space, a world leader in the production of satellites for Telecommunications, Navigation, Earth Observation, environmental management, Exploration, Science, as well as orbital infrastructures, is developing in-orbit service solutions to meet the evolving need for support of satellites in orbit.
IOS (In-Orbit Servicing) is a demonstrative mission resembling an orbital pit-stop for satellites, aiming to ensure continuous robotic operations to extend their operational life, including propellant refueling, repair or replacement of components, orbital transfer, and assisted atmospheric re-entry. The Italian Space Agency (ASI) has signed a contract worth a total of 235 million euros with Thales Alenia Space, the joint venture between Thales (67%) and Leonardo (33%), leading a Temporary Grouping of Companies that includes Leonardo, Telespazio, Avio, and D-Orbit, and is responsible for the design, development, and qualifi-
Servicing. Credits: Thales Alenia Space
cation of a demonstrative mission intended to validate the technologies necessary to provide space environment surveillance (Space Situational Awareness) and space traffic management services.
Thales Alenia Space is thus developing in-orbit assistance solutions to meet the operational needs of satellites.
The IOS Demonstrative Mission, initiated by the Italian Government, funded through the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) and supported by ASI, is scheduled for launch in 2026-2027. Thales Alenia Space is the system integrator of the project and is responsible for the satellite navigation system. Orbital
In-Orbit
operations will be carried out by a robotic arm developed by Leonardo in collaboration with SAB Aerospace, the National Institute for Nuclear Physics (INFN), and the Italian Institute of Technology (IIT).
Telespazio, together with Altec, will be responsible for the design, development, and validation of the ground segment of the demonstrative mission. Avio will carry out the design and development activities of the Orbital Support and Propulsion Module. The space logistics company D-Orbit will manage all activities related to the Target satellite platform, which is based on the company-owned ION (InOrbit NOW) platform, and the refueling system, involving the transfer of fluid from the Servicer satellite to the Target satellite.
Thales alenia space is developing in-Orbit servicing solutions to meet the operational needs of satellites.
In-Orbit Servicing activities represent a true paradigm shift, as they will introduce unprecedented system scalability and flexibility, providing possibilities for maintenance and upgrades in orbit — also changing the entire approach to satellite design. The synergistic work between the involved parties will help identify the space of the future, promoting an entirely Italian technology in service of the development of our country’s space economy.
Thales Alenia Space is the European leader in the field of in-orbit services, a new approach to space exploration based on smarter, more innovative missions that contribute to a more sustainable space environment, as reflected in Company’s"Space for Life" vision.
SuStainability in Space: a paradigm shift with risE
by Mila Fiordalisi
The RISE mission will play a decisive role in the dossiers on the table at the Bremen Ministerial Meeting in November. So says Fabrizio Battazza, who is responsible for relations with ESA at ASI. Luca Rossettini, managing director of D-Orbit, the company that won the 120 million euro commission, talks about the roadmap for the future
Fabrizio battazza
«The RISE mission has enormous potential and promises to be a gamechanger. Fabrizio Battazza, Head of ASI’s ESA Relations Office, International Affairs Directorate, explains how the RISE mission fits into the framework of European space strategy and the dossiers that will be brought to the table at the next ministerial meeting of the European Space Agency scheduled to take place in Bremen, Germany, at the end of November».
Battazza, is Italy's role destined to grow?
«Italy will have to make major financial contributions to be able to continue the development of its ongoing activities as well as implementing new ones. ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher presented a very ambitious overall proposal for the next ministerial meeting. The package includes the Space Safety programme, which is divided into four pillars, one of which, crucially, concerns in-orbit servicing, of which the Italian-led RISE mission is part. One topic on which all eyes are focussed is the sustainability of space operations, and the need to mitigate the amount of debris in orbit. Missions like RISE could mitigate this problem in that, in LEO (Low Earth Orbit), they can ensure safe re-entry of objects into the atmosphere, while in GEO (Geostationary Earth Orbit), they can
Fabrizio Battazza, Head of ASI’s ESA Relations Office, International Affairs Directorate
manoeuvre satellites to extend their operational life or provide end-of-life re-orbiting to less critical orbits from which no active satellites are operational».
How important is the Italian role in the RISE mission?
«In addition to D-Orbit, which leads the consortium, the satellite development project involves iBoss, Kinetik, LMO and Almatech. The propulsion system will be developed by Sitael, while cybersecurity will be handled by CGI and the Ground Segment by Telespazio. Negotiations are also underway with other industrial players with a view to launching the satellite by the end of the decade. The upcoming ministerial meeting, therefore, will be key to identifying the funding to be allocated by participating Member States at this stage, and will definitively designate the team of contractors who will handle the project up to the conclusion of the developmental phase, as well as for the operational phase».
What are the phases of the mission?
«The primary objective of the mission is the development of a satellite capable of docking with and servicing a client located in geostationary orbit. This demonstration has a lot of complicated moving parts and would demonstrate the ability of Italian industry to provide state-of-the-art satellite systems for the nascent In-Orbit Servicing sector. After that, the entirely Italian-led 'National Commercial Mission' will be launched: the satellite will be used to provide orbital maintenance services to other parties. We want to be a leader in this sector, and the recent Law 89/2025 also considers such operations, which require regulatory governance at both the national and international level».
«In-Orbit Servicing is no longer science fiction: it is an emerging market that may determine humanity’s future in space. And it has the potential to be one of the Italian space economy’s flagship sectors». Luca Rossettini, CEO of D-Orbit, turns the spotlight on the potential of In-Orbit Servicing and tells us how his company won the EUR 120 million commission: «a turning point», as he says.
Rossettini, how did you get here, in just a few years since your launch?
«Our path has been characterised by a clear and consistent vision from the very outset: to build a logistics infrastructure in space and enable a truly sustainable interplanetary economy. We have invested aggressively in proprietary technologies, in particular in our ION platform, orbital cloud infrastructure and now in GEA, our first vehicle designed specifically for In-Orbit Servicing. But the real driver of our growth has been our extraordinary team, which combines engineering creativity, entrepreneurial resilience and a strong focus on getting things done».
What are the challenges and prospects of In-Orbit Servicing?
«The primary challenge is that of creating a regulatory, industrial and operational ecosystem capable of making In-Orbit Servicing both scalable and sustainable. We need shared standards, interoperability between systems and a new culture of satellite life-cycle management. The potential in Europe and Italy is enormous, but we must create synergies between public and private actors, accelerate our in-orbit testing capacity, and incentivise more agile
Luca Rossettini, CEO of D-Orbit
approaches to investment in innovation. Working together in a systemic fashion, fostering concrete cooperation between SMEs, large companies, research centres and public authorities, this is what is required to make Italy a leader in this strategic segment».
RISE is scheduled to launch in 2028: what are the milestones along the way?
RISE mission marks a promising step towards enhancing InOrbit Services and technologies, such as refuelling, refurbishment and assembling – all essential elements for creating a circular economy in space. Credits: D-Orbit
«Between now and 2028 we will work on several parallel fronts. On the one hand, we will continue the engineering development of the GEA platform to evolve the functionalities already validated in orbit by ION. On the other, we will focus on the ground test campaign and on consolidating the logistics and production chain. One key aspect will be the progressive qualification of our servicing capabilities, in terms of both robotic manipulation and orbital transfer. 2028 is an ambitious objective, but we have a clear view of the path to it. Once in orbit, the RISE mission will come into its own with the operational demonstration of GEA's capabilities. The first step will be to complete a series of autonomous manoeuvres, including rendezvous, safe approach and docking with a geostationary satellite. After contact, GEA will temporarily take control of the orbital and attitude control functions of the target satellite, and test a number of life extension, relocation and de-orbiting procedures. This mission is not just a technology demonstrator: thanks to our collaboration with Eutelsat, one of the world's leading satellite operators, RISE has been designed to satisfy concrete operational needs from the very outset. And once successfully completed, the mission will pave the way for life extension services for orbiting satellites. So more than an end in itself, RISE is the beginning of a new era».
luca Rossettini
Product AssurAnce considerAtions for ios
by Rita Carpentiero and Vincenzo Martucci
In the increasingly dynamic and competitive space industry, the success of missions with tight deadlines is critically dependent on the adoption of innovative Product Assurance (PA) methodologies. Space programmes funded by the PNRR present a unique opportunity to boost the industry, but they depend on the ability to accelerate and optimise processes.
A significant example of the need to balance innovation and tradition is the IOS Demo Mission programme, developed by a Temporary Grouping of Companies (RTI), as part of which ASI is implementing targeted criteria for PA procedures.
In IOS, the contractor acts as the systems manager for the final product, coordinating the PA programme, while each member of the RTI retains significant autonomy within the ambit of its own operations, retaining the role of design authority for the subsystems for which it is responsible. This enables each company to adopt its own PA plan, thus ensuring more flexible management tailored to the specific needs of each subsystem. The PA plans of the stakeholder companies must satisfy both ASI’s PA requisites and those of a joint PA plan, which outlines and manages joint operations in a coordinated manner without overlaps or gaps, and under the supervision of the system engineer. While leaving marginal decision-making and approval authority to the members of the RTI,
ASI implements continuous surveillance, assisted by the system engineer; the RTI must promptly identify non-conforming/critical aspects for evaluation by special joint boards in order to identify appropriate corrective actions, as well as blocking points which must be resolved before the project can proceed. Once the major problems have been resolved, each partner can independently declare their approval, at intermediate levels of the development cycle, of material/process/part lists and the qualification status of equipment, supported by evidence to the customer. This parallel and concurrent review and control cycle ensures that all priorities/critical issues are promptly dealt with at the appropriate level, and also allows for streamlined programme management within the set constraints.
With this in mind, there is also a tendency to rationalise and simplify inspection and control activities, limiting them to the most sensitive points identified in the manufacturing & inspection flow chart, provided they are carried out by qualified personnel and documented with detailed procedures and records.
The pioneering aspect of IOS is the adoption of a mixed PA approach between the conventional, fully standard-based ECSS, and the New Space chosen for subsystems considered non-mission critical as they do not impact safety and/or de-orbiting. These units are developed with agile methodologies, which enable them to reduce development costs and schedules, while maintaining a controlled level of risk and adequate quality and reliability.
The combination of suitable PA measures, integrating innovative and proven processes, enables industry to realise the full potential of IOS technologies, and provides a model for the sustainability of future space missions and workshops.
AI image created by Vincenzo Martucci, generated with Copilot
A view from spAce for the city of the future: e-GeOS SuppOrt fOr rOma Capitale
by Editorial Staff
The cities of the future can interpret their own signals, anticipate environmental and social challenges and transform themselves with smart solutions. Space is a valuable source of information telling us how urban environments breathe, evolve and adapt to ongoing change. Analysis of this information permits the development of applications capable of addressing the complexity of our cities, simplifying their daily management and responding to the challenges of sustainability and climate change.
e-GEOS – a joint venture between the Italian Space Agency (20%) and Telespazio (80%) – provides advanced Geoinformation solutions in support of decision-making processes for land management, urban development and response to extreme weather in Italy’s capital city, Rome.
Cultural heritage monitoring
As part of the Pomerium project, co-financed by the European Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency, e-GEOS has developed an advanced monitoring system for Rome’s historic city centre. The system provides information for the planning of cultural heritage
Movements of the soil and monuments in Rome’s Colosseum Archaeological Park are monitored through analysis of data from the COSMO-SkyMed satellites of the Italian Space Agency and the Ministry of Defence. Data is viewed in AWARE, the e-GEOS platform for infrastructure and smart city management.
maintenance work: from assessment of structural stability to soil conditions, and from detection of weeds to reporting of unlawful activity, with analysis of air pollution and its impact on the surfaces of historic monument
analysing the flow of the river tiber
Pomerium also analyses the presence of waste along the River Tiber, which can hinder the flow of water in the event of a flood and compromise the stability of ancient bridges. e-GEOS monitored the area through drone surveys, identifying deposits of waste and observing their evolution over time. The data collected was then processed in a Digital Twin, allowing users to explore the site remotely and report critical points.
management of green areas
e-GEOS produces detailed maps of urban green areas in Rome, integrating satellite, aerial and complementary data and processing it using artificial intelligence. Analysis makes it possible to delimit green areas with precision, identify and geolocate roadside trees, classify their species, and census street furnishings such as benches and fountains. Each object can then be traced over time and constantly updated, facilitating the planning and maintenance of urban green areas.
DeteCtion of thermal anomalies
The phenomenon of heat waves refers to localised temperature increases in cities compared to the surrounding rural areas, determined by features specific
Rome as seen from the COSMOSkyMed satellites, following the course of the River Tiber from the north of the city through the city centre to Ostia. Copyright: Rome, Italy. COSMO-SkyMed Second Generation Image © Italian Space Agency. Processed and distributed by e-GEOS
of the historic centre of Rome, acquired by plane. Copyright: Rome, Italy. Aerial Image, CGR / e-GEOS production © e-GEOS. Processed and distributed for AGEA by e-GEOS
to the urban context such as extensive use of asphalt and cement and reduced presence of vegetation. The study of heat islands makes it possible to design and adapt cities better, while limiting the effects of climate change.
Analysis of satellite data permits identification of the areas most affected by thermal anomalies. When supplemented with sociodemographic data, this information provides a picture of the areas most at risk for vulnerable segments of the population, such as the elderly and children. These analyses support identification of priorities for intervention and guide targeted structural and non-structural actions, such as the installation of green roofs, vertical gardens or blue spaces..
waste CyCle optimisation
e-GEOS has identified waste collection stations throughout the road network in the city of Rome, also mapping areas where wastes are deposited illegally. The information comes from multispectral remotely detected data with a resolution of 50 cm, supplemented by annual aerial surveys. This system permits more efficient monitoring of the waste cycle and improves planning of collection and management activities
proDuCtion of ultra-high-resolution maps
A digital model of the surface of the entire Municipality of Rome will be created based on very high-resolution aerial footage, processed using sophisticated algorithms. The final product can then be used in engineering and urban planning, for example to analyse changes in the urban fabric or plan work on infrastructure.
a new Digital infrastruCture for rome
Finally, e-GEOS is a member of a consortium led by Almaviva which has been commissioned by Rome’s Department for Digital Transformation to develop a high-tech platform for accessing an ecosystem of geospatial data about land in the municipality. The information system will be accessible to the city government, public and private operators and citizens, on the basis of the Open Data philosophy. The infrastructure will supply the cartography for the Smart City Plan and a digital twin of the city of Rome.
Image
ISOS4I: Europe prepares for space
by Salvatore Pignataro
Space attaché at the Permanent Representation of Italy to the European Union
In the new global scenario, the ability to conduct operations in orbit is now a strategic necessity. The ISOS4I - In-Space Operations and Services for Infrastructure project, launched by the European Commission, is a major step in this direction. The aim is to ensure that the Union can inspect, refuel, assemble, repair and remove space assets autonomously, thanks to the use of robotic technologies and interoperable modules. A European orbital infrastructure for in-orbit servicing: this is the vision behind the ISOS4I pilot mission, which is one of the EU's strategic priorities for the next decade.
The mission is built around four components: a servicer satellite with a robotic arm; a modular hub to act as the depot and orbital test bed; a logistics module for transporting cargo and fuel; and an ecosystem of plug-and-play modules which can be assembled in orbit to upgrade and repair satellites. The first Horizon Europe industrial tenders will close at the end of September. The full demonstrator mission, scheduled for 2030, will include refuelling and maintenance operations, in-orbit assembly, and the deorbiting of an obsolete asset.
ISOS4I is the next step along a path started in 2014 with the PERASPERA roadmap and further developed with projects like EROSS and EROSS IOD. These initiatives produced key technologies for robotic interfa-
A European orbital infrastructure for in-orbit servicing: this is the vision behind the ISOS4I pilot mission.
cing and docking, which are now considered ready for operational deployment.
The mission will be managed by an industrial consortium selected by tender. Strategic coordination will be handled by the Pilot Mission Advisory Group (PMAG), consisting of the Commission, Member States and National Agencies, which will soon be replaced by a permanent group of experts with more structured responsibilities. This body will also oversee the CSA (Coordination and Support Action), which is responsible for ensuring the technical and programmatic compatibility between the different elements of the mission.
ISOS4I is an integral part of the European strategy for an in-space economy. It is included in the proposed European Competitiveness Fund 2028-2035 and the future EU Space Act, which from 2034 will require that EU operators set up platforms compatible with in-orbit services. The report 'A vision for the EU Space Economy by 2050', ISOS4I is considered to be an enabler of a European orbital ecosystem based on modular platforms that can also support space data centres and power generation facilities.
ISOS4I expresses the EU's ambition to build an autonomous operational capacity for space. Its political and industrial value is clear, as part of a vision that links space, competitiveness and technological autonomy. However, it is key that the mission objectives be clarified over the next few months and that a solid business case be presented. Only in this way can ISOS4I become an enabling, flexible, user-oriented platform capable of attracting public and private investment, thus laying the foundation for a future EU flagship programme.
EuropE’s Isos4I pIlot MIssIon, with italy betting on its system capacity
Italy has been recognised for its In- orbit servicing capability. Colonel luigi riggio and Danilo rubini, representing Italy in the European Commission, tell us the story
The competitiveness of the European economy demands that we invest in space. On 25 June, Andrius Kubilius, Commissioner for Defence and Space in Von der Leyen’s second mandate, on the occasion of the proposal of the EU Space Act, said that Europe cannot afford to miss yet another appointment with history, stressing that this ambitious package of measures on the use of space will support “our autonomy, resilience and competitiveness”. Kubilius also stated that Europe cannot do without Italy.
The European Commission has funded contracts for IOS activities via the #EUSpaceResearch mechanism. How do they fit in with the ISOS4I pilot project just approved at the European level?
by Giuseppina Pulcrano
Danilo Rubini: «In the past, the EU initiated preparatory project regarding new technologies for autonomous and modular robotics in space, with research and development into a small demonstrator mission. This project was initiated as part of the Horizon 2020 programme, and several grants were made to prepare technologies and components for such in-orbit operations. In the past, the Commission launched the PERASPERA Strategic Research Cluster and the Eross+ grant for the development of technological components, followed by the EROS IOD mission case study. It was only at the start of 2024 that the Commission took the next step with the Acting in Space initiative, which aims to implement a set of IOS services. This is where the ISOS4I pilot mission comes in, offering Italy the opportunity to enhance its capacity in this area. The Office for Space and Aerospace Policy, supporting the Interministerial Committee on Space Policy and Aerospace Research (COMINT) and ASI, has run a number of projects to protect and valorise Italian industry and research centres with highly advanced IOS capabilities.
«ISOS4I is the answer Italy has been waiting for, also in the light of our previous investments in this area both at the national level - PNRR funds - and for national contracts under the aegis of ESA».
In-Space Operation & Services 4 Infrastructure - or ISOS4I - is the European Commission's Pilot Mission that Italy has been waiting for, also in the light of our previous investments in this area both at the national level - PNRR funds - and for national contracts under the aegis of ESA. The European Commission has set up a working group of experts from the member states participating in ISOS, the Pilot Mission Advisory Group, of which we are members; a working group that has discussed the objectives of the project as well as its main and more detailed phases with the Commission. Last May, a number of tenders worth around EUR 55 million (to be launched in 2025) were finalised as part of the Horizon Europe programme: these are tenders for preparatory ISOS4I mission grants which will be developed and launched in the next Multiannual Financial Framework 2028-2034».
Luigi Riggio: «The European Commission's sudden change of direction from the simple acquisition of know-how to a new vision aimed at developing real
luigi riggio, Colonel of the Italian Air Force, Office of the Military Advisor to the President of the Council of Ministers and Head of the Space and Aerospace Policy Unit supporting COMINT.
Danilo rubini, responsible for EU relations for the International Affairs Directorate of the Italian Space Agency, with impact on bilateral relations outside the EU and ESA.
sErvICIng
Providing commercial and governmental services
Host
Providing supply for docked commercial and governmental servicer and logistic spacecraft, hosting and distributing satApps, IOD/V experiments, propellant
EMbarkIng publIC anD prIvatE aC tors
apps pilot Mission Isos4I
In-space operations & services 4 Infrastructure
Pre-cursor for continuous provision of on-demand in-space services to the Space infrastructure
operational services for a space programme with IOS services, including the participation of institutional and private sector players, was a Copernican revolution. The defence technology development projects in ESA and the EU, which are also working on these issues, have demonstrated that In-Orbit Servicing technologies are so closely intertwined with security and defence requirements that it would be reductive to called them dual-purpose.
In the wake of the Ukraine war, we have seen that space technologies and capabilities are cross-cutting: civil projects, operated by civilians, are performing military functions and vice versa. Moreover, Italy has invested more in IOS than other actors, partly also due to PNRR funding. This change of direction is no coincidence, since Italy already has advanced IOS technology capabilities. We have therefore been able to capitalise on Italian PNRR and ESA know-how and investments, thanks to our excellent teamwork and ongoing dialogue with industry, public authorities and other institutions».
What operative instrument has the Commission adopted to accelerate the European space programme?
Luigi Riggio: «We’re talking about a task force, set up a few months ago, to maintain closer, constant and deep dialogue between the European Commission and ESA, to collaborate on programmes of interest to both parties. This task force is working to close the gap that existed between the previous European Commission and ESA. Kick-starting ESA projects
Infographic taken from: “Guidance Document for the EU ISOS Pilot Mission”
«this task force is working to close the gap that existed between the previous European Commission and Esa».
logIstIC
Transporting cargo and supply to HOST, disposal of old cargo, providing other transport services to commercial and governmental spacecraft
Building an ecosystem of functional satellite upgrades (plug'n'play peripherals)
for the EU is needed to quickly bring strategic space operations on-line, and to overcome the red tape of EU financial programming. In this phase, ISOS4I will remain a pure technological programme, but in the next financial year, choices will have to be made: governments will have to decide what and how much to invest».
Can ISOS4I change what has so far been the rather fragmented nature of the European approach?
Danilo Rubini: «Some capabilities are already developed and others are under development, but in-orbit operations depend largely on the ability to integrate diverse technologies for a specific end functionality. This is a risky business: for instance, when two satellites dock with each other, the risks are particularly significant and varied. By supporting demonstrator missions, the Commission is facilitating the difficult transition to a system-based approach demanded by complex activities in space».
Are there different projects relating to defence and safety?
Luigi Riggio: «90% of the technologies are similar to those used in commercial operations. A small number of capabilities will be a bit more enhanced, but in general, the ability to move between orbits, to rendezvous/dock with and handle other objects in orbit yields almost infinite applications because it can be used for offence - if necessary - but also, given our stance, for defence».
Technological advances, especially in the fields of automation, artificial intelligence and robotics, are gradually moving space operations away from a discardable, ‘use-and-leave-in-orbit’, model, which increases the risk of the Kessler Syndrome, i.e. a chain of collisions in the most heavily occupied orbits and the consequent exponential growth of debris in space.
From debris disposal to robotic servicing:
At the same time, human activity in space is expanding at an accelerated pace. Private sector operators are now an established reality, satellite constellations are growing, lunar outpost settlements are planned and manned missions to Mars are also on the drawing board.
To support these developments and address the problem of orbital congestion, new solutions to make the future in Space safer, more efficient and sustainable are now emerging.
These known as In-Space Operations and Services (ISOS) or In-Orbit Servicing (IOS) and include procedures carried out directly in orbit to manage, maintain, repair, upgrade, move or extend the operational life of satellites and other spacecraft. This is a revolutionary concept that promises to supersede the conventional paradigm with a new, more adaptive, practical and economically viable one.
The European Union is committed to becoming one of the most active players in this field. In addition to existing space debris removal programmes, like ClearSpace-1 and the CleanSpace/Zero Debris Approach initiative, it is promoting the development of ISOS services by funding a number of major initiatives: let's take a look at the main ones and how they work.
by Gianluca Liorni
The Horizon Europe framework programme, the European Union's largest and most ambitious instrument for research and innovation, with a budget of around EUR 95 billion for the period 2021-2027, supports a
Artist’s view of the Nyx capsule of the Crysalis project in orbit.
Credits: The Exploration Company
series of technology development projects aimed at raising the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of European players in critical technologies, systems and operational capabilities in the field of in-orbit services. Europe is thus preparing to build a more autonomous and multifunctional space ecosystem, compatible with the requirements of human activity in space over the foreseeable future. Let’s take a look at the scope of these projects.
In-orbI t refuell Ing
To manage in-orbit refuelling services, the EU is funding Crysalis (CRYogenic Storage And Refuelling In-Space), a project coordinated by Absolut System SAS (France).
The aim is to test the storage and transfer of cryogenic propellants in low orbit with the reusable Nyx-Earth capsule developed by The Exploration Company. The mission, which is scheduled to last six months, will verify the system’s ability to maintain the thermodynamic conditions of the fuel over time and the possibility of refuelling under real conditions. The system will pave the way for future orbiting refuelling stations for next-generation spacecraft heading to the Moon or Mars.
robotIc ma Intenance In orbI t
The EROSS SC (European Robotic Orbital Support Services - Servicing Component) project, on the other
Above: an overview of STARFAB's services.
Credits: Space Applications Services
Artist’s view of EROSS SC in action.
Credits: Thales Alenia Space
hand, aims to develop and demonstrate autonomous robotic rendezvous and manipulation technologies for the maintenance of satellites in low Earth (LEO) and geostationary orbit (GEO).
An ORU modular unit.
Credits: ISISPACE
The heart of EROSS SC is a multifunctional robotic arm, which will be able to engage target vehicles in both teleoperated and autonomous modes. The project is coordinated by Thales Alenia SpaceFrance and has a number of European commercial partners, including SINTEF, Exotrail, Almatech and CSEM. EROSS-IOD, an in-orbit LEO demonstrator mission that will include both docking with and refuelling a client satellite, is planned for 2026. Another company working in satellite servicing is D-Orbit (Italy) which, also with Europe’s contribution to the ASTROLIFT (Autonomous Spacecraft Technology for Repair Operations, Lifespan Improvement and Flight Testing) project under the Horizon Europe EIC Accelerator, is developing the GEA satellite platform, equipped with precision robotic technologies, electric propulsion and autonomous navigation systems to enable it to operate in GEO orbit with the aim of docking with, moving and repairing satellites and extending their operational life up to seven years beyond their currently projected span.
A version of this platform will be qualified as part of the Adrios-RISE mission, co-funded by ESA and the company itself.
Space manufactur Ing and a SSembly Europe is also investing significantly in space robotics, a key enabling technology for a variety of IOS services. The EU-RISE project, coordinated by Airbus Defence and Space, is studying robotic capabilities and open-source software for assembly, manufacturing and maintenance in space. In parallel, the ORU-BOAS project, headed up by Sener Aeroespacial SA, is designing a standard module called the ORU, compatible with multiple payloads and robotic systems, with the capacity to repair and upgrade existing satellites and infrastructure in orbit. ORU modules will also be able to unite with each other to form more complex modular space systems, a feature that promises enormous versatility in application.
SuSta Inable acceSS to geo orbI t
The GEORyder project, led by France's Infinite Orbits, is working on Kickstage, a reusable transfer vehicle which will improve access to geostationary orbit. This system will use green propellants and enable multiple transfers from geostationary transfer orbits (GTO) to GEO, especially for smaller satellite payloads. Its partners include Berlin Space Technologies, Dawn Aerospace and Arianespace. The goal is to develop a reusable platform to increase autonomy with modular hardware architectures. Furthermore, GEORyder intends to industrialise the mission and make it reusable, optimise its design to facilitate in-orbit docking operations, and develop a specific indicator to assess its environmental impact, thus balancing technolo gy and sustainability.
modular SyStemS
Space Applications Service NV is coordinating the SCHUMANN project, an open system for simplifying and economising the development of satellite modules, thus making it easier for manufacturers to integrate them. The project, whose members include Ariane Group and ReOrbit Oy, involves the construction of a supply module and a software toolkit to ensure module compatibility within an integrated space system. This approach favours the standardisation and modularity of future space platforms, which will be continually updated and adapted to stay compatible with future developments and requirements.
Standard Interface
A universal hardware interface, a physical, standardised connector to dock space modules with each other during in-orbit operations: this is what an international consortium coordinated by Thales Alenia Space France SAS is working on. Called SPACE USB, it will simultaneously transfer both data and power. At the present time, no space equipment interface provides
full interoperability of different systems. SPACE USB is designed to bridge the gap with a concept similar to conventional USB used on Earth, but rethought for the harsh conditions of Space, including microgravity, tolerance for imperfect alignments and resistance to high mechanical loads.
automated orbI tal Storage
Last but not least, the STARFAB project is exploring the innovative concept of a storage unit which can acts as a strategic hub for In-Orbit Servicing, Assembly and Manufacturing (OSAM) operations.
STARFAB intends to produce a concept demonstrator including robotic systems for handling, transferring and moving materials (including recovered debris) and components in space. These include modular units and fuel and raw materials for in-orbit manufacturing. The system will also provide robotic inspection and maintenance services to ensure the integrity of the structure and support docking manoeuvres with spacecraft. The project, co-ordinated by Space Applications Services (Belgium), aims to carry out a ground demonstration and to mature robotic technologies, with the objective of drawing up a roadmap for an integrated system of sustainable space services.
A rendering of the GEA (General Expansion Architecture) shuttle.
Credits: D-Orbit
The refuelling interface module proposed by the SCHUMANN project.
Credits: Space Applications Services
The Kickstage transfer vehicle. Credits: Infinite Orbits
telespazio.com
Satellite “ Service StationS” business is booming
For some aerospace companies, in- orbit Servicing has become their core business
by Silvia Martone and Valeria Guarnieri
It encompasses a wide range of services in support of satellites already in orbit and has become a major business for some private companies in recent years: this is In-Orbit Servicing (IOS), a nascent and yet fastgrowing sector that aims to extend the operational life of satellites and reduce space debris, which may also open up new scenarios for space missions.
IOS is a real gamechanger not only in terms of scalability and flexibility, but also with regard to the design of satellites themselves, which will have to rely on maintenance and upgrading capabilities in the future.
But which companies have embarked on the creation of these tow trucks in space? Let’s take a look at some
Rendering of the ClearSpace 1 mission in the act of grabbing VESPA debris.
Credits: ClearSpace SA
examples. One of the companies operating exclusively in this field is the Japanese Astroscale, founded in 2013. The company started out as an active space debris removal company, but it more recently acquired the Anglo-Israeli Effective Space company, thus acquiring their intellectual property and know-how in life-extension services and securing this market share as well.
The projects launched by the company include ELSA (End-of-Life Service): this is a service that the company is developing to remove satellites from orbit at the end of their operational life. This requirement has received little attention until quite recently, but today, more than ever, it could make a critical difference in
preventing the crowding of low Earth orbit and the spread of debris from collisions. On 20 March 2021, Astroscale launched its first technology demonstrator, ELSA-d, and is planning a second demonstrator for 2026 to further deve lop the service, ELSA-M: this version of the service will be able to remove more than one client satellite in a single mission.
The company also developed a mission for the Japanese Space Agency (JAXA), after winning the first phase of a contract under the CDR2 (Commercial Removal of Debris Demonstration) programme. This mission, launched on 18 February 2023, is ADRAS-J, the aim of which was to develop inspection capabilities, determine attitude dynamics and remove a piece of debris (the over 10 m long upper stage of an H-IIA launcher) stuck in a congested orbit. ADRAS-J is one of the main demonstrators of Astroscale’s technology.
Rendering of the RISE mission.
Credits: D-Orbit
end-of-life. The company is also part of a temporary grouping of companies (together with Leonardo, Telespazio and Avio, with Thales Alenia Space Italia as agent) that signed a contract with the Italian Space Agency in May 2023 to design, develop and qualify a vehicle for Italy's first in-orbit service demonstrator, the IOS Demo Mission. In this programme, D-Orbit will provide the client satellite, based on its ION platform.
The mission, which will be conducted in LEO orbit, is currently in development and will be launched in the next few years. The contract, worth a total of EUR 235 million, is part of the resources invested under the Italian government's National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR), thanks to which ASI has been able to finance a number of important national programmes. The IOS Demo Mission is currently the most ambitious and advanced programme in Europe in the field of IOS service development.
In addition to the above programmes, Astroscale is also planning COSMIC (Cleaning Outer Space Mission through Innovative Capture), to be launched in the next few years. The mission will exploit the company’s the rendezvous and proximity (RPO) know-how as well as its robotic debris capture capabilities to remove two inactive British satellites which are still in orbit.
Swiss company ClearSpace was founded in 2018: as one might expect from its name, the company is focused on 'cleaning' space debris and making IOS operations sustainable. In 2020, ESA signed an €86 million contract with ClearSpace for the purchase of an upper stage removal service for the VEga Secondary Payload Adapter (VESPA) used on European VEGA launchers. The mission, dubbed ClearSpace 1, will consist of a demonstrator satellite developed by the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) to test technologies for debris rendezvous, acquisition and re-entry.
ClearSpace also entered into a partnership in 2024 with the US start-up Orbit Fab, active in the field of in-orbit refuelling systems for satellites. The first phase of the agreement will see the two companies collaborate to combine an Orbit Fab fuel depot with a ClearSpace shuttle, while in the long term the two partners envisage the development of further collaborations in mobility and logistics services, and in extending the operational life of satellite missions. Italy, too, can boast a company that is very active in space logistics and expanding strongly abroad: D-Orbit, founded in 2011, is active both in developing solutions for the transport and management of small satellites and in IOS activities, including disposal at
Rendering of a ClearSpace servicer and an Orbit Fab payload.
Credits: ClearSpace and Orbit Fab
D-Orbit is also co-financer and prime contractor for a EUR 119 million contract stipulated with ESA in October 2024 as part of the ADRIOS-RISE programme. This contract concerns RISE, an IOS mission in GEO orbit, scheduled to be launched in 2028, which will consist of an initial demonstrator mission under the institutional aegis of ESA, followed by a commercial phase lasting seven to eight years. In particular, after completing testing, the mission will demonstrate the capability to rendezvous and dock with and then re-orbit a client geostationary satellite. As of March of this year, D-Orbit announced its collaboration with Eutelsat, one of the world's largest satellite operators, for the RISE mission.
In-Orbit Servicing is thus full of promise: we will just have to wait and see how it develops and which countries and companies will play a strategic role in it.
a showcase for Italian small and medium-sized enterprises and start-ups with the aim of highlighting their unique paths to growth, evolving business models and strategies for adapting and anticipating the most recent trends in New Space - an inspiration for the entire industry.
The Tyvak InTernaTIonal model: an ItalIan scale-up
In the new space industry
by Silvia Ciccarelli
Founded in 2015 as part of the PoliTO I3P incubator, Tyvak International is a member of the Terran Orbi tal Group, but has always been strongly rooted in the Italian industrial scenario. Tyvak is one of the most successful cases of the Italian space economy, as it has been able to anticipate the explosion in demand for nano- and micro-satellites, providing end-to-end solutions that include agile, reliable and cost-compe titive services.
The gradual, steady scaling-up of its operations has enabled it to design, manufacture, launch and operate 17 satellites between 2019 and 2025.
Tyvak has built a network of collaborations with leading Italian universities and research institutions, drawing talent from the most prestigious universities, sponsoring PhD scholarships and stipulating agreements for joint projects. Today it has 70 employees, a continuously growing office in Turin, and an established network of industrial partners.
Among its most promising areas of activity are proximity operations involving the use of agile and autonomous satellites for inspection, navigation, rendezvous and docking operations. A crucial step has been its role as system integrator for ASI's IPERDRONE and ESA's SROC missions. The MILANI mission, of which Tyvak is the leader and which forms part of ESA’s HERA planetary defence mission, is its primary focus for the future. This is the first deep-space nanosatellite to orbit an asteroid; built entirely in Italy, it is one of the most challenging and technologically advanced missions it has designed so far.
The Tyvak model integrates a high-risk/return approach, typical of the commercial environment, with the more traditional/institutional approach requiring high standards of reliability. This strategy has enabled it to grow rapidly both in the institutional segment, thanks to projects under the aegis of ASI, ESA and the European Commission, and in the private sector.
In 2024, it was acquired by Lockheed Martin, a move that has strengthened its international profile and promises to open up new opportunities in the security and defence sectors. Nevertheless, its Italian roots remain strong, as is its desire to seize the resulting opportunities to consolidate its position as a key player on the European and national scene.
Follow Tyvak International's Italian Space Industry Online Catalogue page, with updated content and links to the company's official channels: https://italianspaceindustry.it/listing/tyvak-international-srl/
Tyvak
InTernaTIonal TURIN
EIE GROUP & THE COSMOS EXPLORATION...
PIONEERS & INNOVATORS
FS: 1,200 building conStruction SiteS For Future mobility
by Editorial Staff
All the FS Group’s main infrastructure projects are currently in full implementation, ranging from technological upgrades of the network to the redevelopment of stations, all in strict compliance with scheduled timelines.
Among the most significant initiatives are the installation of the ERTMS system and upgrades in railway yards, tangible evidence of profound and widespread transformation. This change is taking shape across Italy, marking the evolution of the national mobility system: increasingly integrated, sustainable, and connected.
INVESTMENTS
The 2025-2029 Strategic Plan provides for €100 billion investments over five years, of which only 13% is financed through NRRP funds. Of this total, €62 billion is allocated to infrastructure. In 2024, FS - through Rete Ferroviaria Italiana - issued 359 tenders worth €13.4 billion and awarded 293 contracts amounting to approximately €10 billion. Driving this strong performance are investments in maintenance (accounting for 30%), technological upgrades of the network, and station redevelopment. RFI is also responsible for managing and maintaining the Italian railway network. Ordinary maintenance requires substantial financial resources: every year, €3.5 billion is allocated to maintenance activities across the network.
1,200 CONSTRUCTION SITES
There are currently about 1,200 active construction sites on the network: 500 dedicated to maintenance
Redevelopment and maintenance works on the railway network. Credits: FS
and 700 to new works. So many active sites have never been seen before, due to the overlap between NRRP projects and ordinary maintenance operations. In recent years, both construction activity and continuous service interruptions have increased significantly. To give an idea of the scale: in 2023, 160,000 line interruptions were managed, while 345,000 are expected in 2025, most of them scheduled during periods of lower commuter traffic.
COMMUNICATION CAMPAIGN AND SUMMER PERIOD
FS has launched a communication campaign to inform passengers - line by line - about scheduled works
in 2025, while also raising awareness of the long-term benefits. Line closures have inevitably caused inconveniences during the summer, but they have not prevented people from traveling. The most significant projects were scheduled for August, when commuter traffic decreases due to school closures and summer holidays. This is traditionally the period chosen for the most complex and disruptive works, requiring continuous suspension of train circulation. These closures have made it possible to accelerate construction and to deliver the significant investment program financed through NRRP funds.
The works ensure a more efficient and modern network. On the main railway corridors, every effort has been made to preserve service during peak tra-
vel times. Coordination has also been carried out with motorway concessionaires to suspend roadworks on alternative routes, thereby easing road traffic linked to holiday travel.
ERTMS TECHNOLOGY
A strategic objective is the deployment of the innovative ERTMS system across all 16,800 km of the network. Selected by the EU as the single standard for train control and spacing supervision, ERTMS is the most advanced railway signaling technology. It is also thanks to this system, already adopted on high-speed lines, that trains can reach speeds of 300 km/h. The system enhances network performance and ensures greater reliability of infrastructure, improving service regularity and quality. Beyond higher performance, ERTMS also delivers savings in operating and maintenance costs compared to traditional signaling systems, along with significant overall energy savings.
Work is currently underway across the country, with part of the projects financed through NRRP funds, covering approximately 2,800 km of the network to be completed by 2026, backed by an investment of €2.5 billion.
LINE ELECTRIFICATION
Of the approximately 16,800 km of railway network, 12,205 km (73%) are electrified. The infrastructure development plan includes the electrification of lines currently served by diesel-powered trains, to reduce CO2 emissions and ensure more efficient connections. NRRP funds will also support the electrification of lines such as Ivrea-Aosta, the Ionian line in Calabria, and the Palermo-Trapani line via Milo.
ertmS, the single standard for train spacing supervision and control, is the most advanced railway signaling technology.
STATIONS
Through Rete Ferroviaria Italiana, FS Group is engaged in redeveloping major Italian stations, improving accessibility, intermodality, and the redesign of external areas. Rail yards will also benefit from NRRP funds: €345 million has been allocated to modernize 38 stations in central and southern Italy.
As of December 2024, works have been completed at the first ten stations (Falciano-Mondragone-Carinola, Giovinazzo, Macomer, Milazzo, Oristano, Sapri, San Severo, Scalea-San Domenica Talao, Vasto San Salvo, and Vibo Valentia-Pizzo). Works on the remaining 28 stations - including Bari (station square), Benevento, Brindisi, Caserta, Lecce, Messina Centrale, Messina Marittima, Taranto, Villa San Giovanni, and the L2 Naples metro stations - are scheduled for completion by 2026.
Robotic seRvicing in space: US and Canada take Up the gaUntlet
by Gloria Nobile
From the earliest autonomous rendezvous trials to the most recent missions, America has paved the way towards a future marked by increasingly autonomous orbital maintenance and production, thus unleashing the potential for a new way of operating in space.
DART - The beginning of Au Tonomous R enDezvous
In the Eighties, NASA completed numerous rendezvous and docking missions, all flown by astronauts as part of the Shuttle programme. The DART (Demonstration for Autonomous Rendezvous Technology)
mission was conceived to bridge the gap with Russia, which at the time was almost the only nation to have demonstrated autonomous rendezvous capabilities. Launched in 2005, the mission demonstrated orbital insertion, rendezvous manoeuvres and proximity tests at increasingly shorter distances to validate autonomous guidance hardware and software. Despite its ambitious goals, the vehicle had difficulty navigating, consumed more propellant than planned and ended up making unplanned contact with the MUBLCOM target satellite, leading to the mission being aborted before completion. However, it was an important testbed for future autonomous rendezvous technologies, and NASA and other space operators would continue to develop it over the following years
oR bi TAL e XPR ess - The fiR sT Au Tonomous R efueLL ing in oR bi T
Two years after DART, the Orbital Express (OE) mission was launched, a collaboration between NASA and DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency), the US Department of Defence agency that develops emerging technologies for military use. At the heart of the project was the Orbital Express Demonstration Manipulator System, a robotic arm capable of transferring modules between the two mission satellites, ASTRO and NEXTSat. The system completed refuel-
Two robotic arms wrapped in gold film.
Credits: Naval Research Laboratory
ling and battery and on-board computer replacement procedures, demonstrating that it could service satellites without direct human intervention. Between 5 and 6 May 2007, the OE successfully completed the first American autonomous rendezvous and docking procedures, thus paving the way for future satellite repair, upgrade and management services.
sis
- C A nADA’s
RoboTiC seRviCing PRogRA mme
Parallel to developments in the US, Canada has also pursued programmes for robotic servicing in space. Initiated by aerospace company MDA, the Space Infrastructure Servicing (SIS) programme developed a vehicle to refuel and service satellites in geostationary orbit with two robotic arms.
In 2011, MDA signed a preliminary agreement with Intelsat, one of the largest commercial satellite operators, which was cancelled the following year due to a lack of sufficient commercial contracts to make the project economically viable. The SIS programme was abandoned and never led to the launch of an operational mission. But MDA has consolidated its leadership in robotic servicing with the Canadarm2 and Dextre arms on the ISS, and is now engaged in the development of Canadarm3 for the Gateway Lunar Station as part of the NASA-led Artemis programme.
RR m - The iss beComes A RoboTiC woR kshoP NASA's ambition to extend the life of spacecraft and boost commercial satellite services took concrete form with the Robotic Refuelling Mission (RRM), which has been conducted aboard the International Space Station (ISS) since 2011, with the support of the Canadian Space Agency. In Phase 1, the two-armed Dextre robot completed the first robotic refuelling procedure with propellant transfer on the ISS’s outer platform. Phase 2 consisted in preparatory testing for the supply of cryogenic refrigerant, such as the removal of plugs and the installation of coolant line adapters. Finally, Phase 3 (RRM-3) was launched in December 2018 with the aim of managing cryogenic fluids in orbit.
Controlled from the ground, Dextre connected fluid lines and transferred liquid methane from one tank to another, aided by the VIPIR2 articulated camera which monitored the accuracy of the connections. Despite a malfunction in 2019, RRM-3 successfully completed its planned operations, marking a decisive step towards more advanced ISAM technologies.
R sgs - The geo oR bi Ting meCh A niCAL RoboT Described as a space mechanic on call, the Robotic Servicing of Geosynchronous Satellites (RSGS) programme was launched by DARPA in 2017. When a satellite in GEO orbit runs out of propellant, it often becomes space debris even though the rest of its payload may still be operational. RSGS aims to change the rules with a modular kit, hardware and software that, integrated into a privately developed vehicle, will provide robotic servicing for dozens of satellites, with a strong strategic value also for defence and national security applications.
Robotic Refuelling Mission 3 (RRM3). Credits: NASA
At the heart of the system is the Integrated Robotic Payload (IRP), a robotic arm delivered to SpaceLogistics (a division of Northrop Grumman, a DARPA partner since 2020) for integration into the Mission Robotics Vehicle (MRV), which is scheduled to launch in 2026. NASA supports the project with its experience in ISAM, aiming to go beyond the concept of disposable satellites and paving the way for a new era of orbital servicing.
isA m - seRviCe, A ssembLy A nD PRoDuCTion in sPACe
The acronym ISAM (In-Space Servicing, Assembly and Manufacturing) covers a set of procedures and robotic technologies for servicing, repairing, assembling and even building structures directly in orbit. Despite the success of Orbital Express, some other ISAM projects have not been so lucky: between 2023 and 2024, NASA has cancelled two of its key missions in this area. The first was OSAM-2, a demonstrator project aimed at developing additive manufacturing technology - 3D printing - to build large-scale structures in space; the next was OSAM-1, designed to test in-orbit refuelling of satellites.
Cutting edge proposals from asia for in-orbit serviCing
by Gianluca Dotti
In-Orbit Servicing (IOS) is playing an increasingly prominent role in the strategies of Asian countries for space, reflecting a region-wide interest in the active and sustainable management of the orbital environment. The approach, based on technologies capable of monitoring, servicing, moving and removing objects in space - still being tested in many areas of the world - is finding particularly fertile ground for the concrete demonstration of its potential in the East. While Japan and China already have extensive, well-developed programmes, India, Singapore and South Korea are also emerging with specific skills and technologies. Missions launched this year focus on key objectives like the close observation of debris, rendezvousing with non-cooperative objects, autonomous docking between modules and new solutions for propulsion.
Japanese technologies for the challenge of space debris
In the early part of 2025, Japan confirmed its commitment to orbital maintenance and space debris management with its CRD2 (Commercial Removal of Debris Demonstration) programme, managed by JAXA. The two-phase project aims to consolidate a national industrial ecosystem for active debris removal and the enhancement of in-orbit servicing capabilities.
The distribution of space debris catalogued for the Japanese Space Agency (JAXA) CRD2 programme: low earth orbit, below 1,000 km altitude, is very congested.
Credits: JAXA
Phase I, which is currently underway, focuses on proximity operations with non-cooperative targets, i.e. without the target’s attitude synchronisation functions facilitating proximity and docking operations.
The ADRAS-J mission, launched by Astroscale Japan Inc. in May 2024, was a milestone achievement: it successfully carried out close and continuous observation of the second stage of a decommissioned Japanese launcher. The satellite maintained a stable distance of about 50 metres from the debris, and acquired high-resolution images of it.
Analysis of these images showed that the debris was in a vertical, downwards facing attitude, with negligible roll around its longitudinal axis and no obvious structural damage. This data is essential for planning the next part of the programme, Phase II, which is to capture and remove the debris from orbit. Operationally, ADRAS-J demonstrated the robustness of Japan's Rendezvous and Proximity Operations (RPO) capabilities, a strategic factor in future active removal and orbital maintenance missions.
china: proximity operations and development in low e arth orbit
Launched in 2013, the Shiyan mission is a Chinese experimental programme for the development and validation of advanced technologies for use in Earth orbit. As part of this programme, China has recently conducted a series of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) space operations that are notable for their technical sophistication. Five satellites - three Shiyan-24C and two Shijian-06 05A/B - performed highly coordinated proximity manoeuvres. The operations involved relative speeds of less than 10 cm/s, which indicates extremely precise attitude and trajectory control capabilities, essential for avoiding collisions and ensuring the reliability of proximity interactions. The Shiyan-24C’s, in particular, are believed to be equipped with robotic handling systems, potentially designed for operations such as inspection, orbital maintenance and the controlled capture of objects in space. These functionalities are consistent with the requirements of active space debris management and extending the operational life of satellites. The observed manoeuvres demonstrate the development of autonomous capabilities for the rendezvous and forma-
tion of multiple in-flight assets, a critical area for developing IOS services and improving the resilience of space infrastructure. China and Japan are already testing autonomous satellite formations, as demonstrated by the Shiyan-24C missions, thus paving the way for constellations of auxiliary vehicles: small satellites acting as charging stations, diagnostic nodes and IOS logistics hubs.
autonomous docking from india, with korea and singapore close behind India too has made significant progress in the field of autonomous in-orbit operations with the ISRO space agency's SpaDeX (Space Docking Experiment) mission. The experiment used two identical microsatellites to jointly test rendezvous, docking and orbital interactions. The first operational docking was successfully completed using an autonomous guidance system that enabled the chaser module to approach and connect to the client module without intervention from the ground. The manoeuvre was planned and conducted completely autonomously, validating the alignment, docking and locking systems. A second docking manoeuvre was then performed automatically from a distance of about 15 metres, using optical sensors, lidar and real-time guidance algorithms. A particularly important part of the mission was the
Illustration of Astroscale Japan's ADRAS-J satellite testing key technologies in orbit for active space debris removal.
Credits: Astroscale Japan Inc
two-way transfer of electrical power between the two satellites: the shared energy temporarily powered the thermal payloads, thus demonstrating the functionality of the power management and distribution systems in a docked configuration. At the end of the mission, one of the satellites performed a controlled roll around the other to simulate realistic scenarios consisting in multi-point inspection, rejoining and in-orbit servicing. The success of the mission validates the maturity of the technologies, and positions India among countries capable of performing complex autonomous orbital service missions.
Edge Artificial Intelligence (Edge AI) and predictive capabilities are becoming the new standard for operational scalability in such complex and crowded environments as low Earth orbit. Many of the satellites used in IOS missions integrate artificial intelligence for predictive guidance, Fault Detection Isolation and Recovery (FDIR), computer vision for tracking uncooperative targets (camera + lidar) and the autonomous management of action priorities.
Other emerging programmes in Asia testify to the technological vitality of the sector: South Korea and Singapore are actively exploring space robotics and in-orbit servicing, albeit with a more industrial or collaborative approach. KARI (Korea Aerospace Research Institute) has started preliminary studies on modular platforms for in-orbit inspection and last-mile servicing vehicles.
Novaeka: Modular Fluidic subsysteM
by Editorial Staff
Novaeka is an Italian company founded in 2018, specialized in providing high-quality fluidic and mechanical solutions for the aerospace industry, mainly for the ground segment.
The team is composed of highly qualified experts with different backgrounds, ranging from aerospace engineering to mathematics, physics, and computer science.
Our core expertise lies in fluid dynamics, cryogenics, mechanical engineering, physical modeling, and software development.
Since 2019, we have worked on 10 rocket engine test facilities in Italy, France, and Spain, and on 3 launch sites in Italy, the United States, and South America. For 3 of these projects, we operated as Design Authority, covering: fluid system, civil works, electrical plant,
data acquisition and control, environmental analysis, and permitting.
For 2 of them, we were responsible for manufacturing, installation, and commissioning, thus delivering the finished product to the customer.
Over the years, we have developed projects tailored to the specific needs of our clients.
We realized that some subsystems are common across different applications.
Therefore, we decided to engineer these fluidic subsystems and offer them as turnkey modular products— portable, scalable, and easily integrable into larger facilities.
Some examples:
Cryogenic Low/High Pressure Module: includes a tank (Run Tank) that can be pressurized and the connections to the test cell. It can supply cryogenic propellants (LOX, LCH4) or storable ones (HTP, RP1) at the required flow rate and pressure.
Gaseous Nitrogen Pressurization Module: includes high-pressure tanks filled by pumping liquid nitrogen through a high-pressure vaporizer. The module provides pressurization gas and powers the valve actuation and flushing circuits.
Waste Management Module: includes a collection tank for residual propellants from the facility and the test article, and a dedicated disposal system (venting to atmosphere for vaporized LOX, flare combustion for vaporized LCH4).
Some use cases:
Liquid Propellant Engine Development: Thanks to the modules we offer, it is possible to build a facility capable of supporting the development of a liquid propellant engine, from a single component up to the fully integrated engine. Tests can be carried out on injectors, valves, thrust chambers, preburners, turbopumps, and fully integrated engines.
Fluidic Ground Systems for small launchers: our modules can be used to control the loading and unloading process of propellants and other fluids inside small launch vehicles.
the book
Geopolitica dello spazio (The GeopoliTics of space)
by Giuseppina Pulcrano
the story of the race, invisible but more than half a century old, for political and economic dominance in space
A map for understanding the direction and dynamics of new scenarios in space. Emilio Cozzi's book Geopolitica dello spazio (The Geopolitics of Space) offers the reader, with a light touch but backed up by rigorous references, a complete overview of his subject: not only an account for insiders but also a path finder for the public of enthusiasts who want to understand the background, dynamics and personalities that are leading the way in an industry of vital importance for both governments and citizens.
A guidebook to the acronyms, mission nomenclatures, national agencies and formerly emerging countries that today, in just a few decades, have overtaken the old protagonists and are now leading the new race to space. Two of them stand out in this panorama: India and China.
The space we all knew, which astounded and alarmed the world community when the first aluminium satellite capable of sending a signal to Earth paved the way for the emergence of a multi-planetary civilisation.
That same civilisation has benefited from space activities over the sixty-eight years since the launch of Sputnik, reaping the benefits of communicating, monitoring, travelling and being constantly in touch with space and Earth itself, thanks to technologies for access to space that keep astronauts in low Earth orbit, communicating and navigating in ways we could never have imagined.
title:
Geopolitica dello
Spazio
Storia, economia e futuro di un nuovo continente
author: Emilio Cozzi
publisher: Il Saggiatore Year of publication: 2024 pages: 440 price: 26 euro epub/Mac version: 12.99 euro
Geopolitica dello spazio is a highly enjoyable read, written in the style of the most expert journalism, ironic in tone but fully in charge of the subject - with a twenty-eight page bibliography. It is also an excellent example of how to combine reliable sources with a captivating narrative that recounts a scenario increasingly characterised by the unification of previously separate elements: civil, military and commercial, areas that are now working together to define the new geopolitics of space.
This scenario is driven ever more strongly by the Space Economy or New Space Economy, currently lead by multi-billionaires and decision-makers challenging gravity to trade, research, and invest in this newest frontier of all.
The geopolitical situation still requires governance by public institutions, while fast decision-making and clear roadmaps are necessary to strengthen the private market without renouncing the primary role of continuing to invest in research and the development of new technologies.
