Astroscale Holdings Inc, a Japanese developer of on-orbit servicing and related solutions, has expanded its operations to France with Astroscale France SAS.

The company also signed a contract with the French national space agency, Centre National D’Etudes Spatiales (CNES), to conduct a funded study on active debris removal (ADR) of French space debris and the identification of specific debris in early 2024. 

The partnership will leverage Astroscale's expertise in on-orbit servicing and CNES' space heritage to drive innovation, foster international cooperation, and bolster France's role as a global leader in sustainable space policy and technology.

Analyst QuickTake: Astroscale has a history of partnering with national space agencies for active debris removal projects and studies. The company collaborated with the European Space Agency (ESA) between 2018 and 2022, and was selected to study defunct satellites by the UK Space Agency as a part of its ADR mission slated for 2025. Astroscale was also selected by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) as a commercial partner for Phase I and II of its first debris removal project.