ELSA-M
In Development
Astroscale
Overview
Commercial end-of-life servicer that docks with a prepared client satellite using a magnetic docking plate and drags it down to a disposal orbit. Designed to service multiple satellites on a single mission.
Billed as the world's first commercial end-of-life service for prepared satellites. Astroscale selected Isar Aerospace's Spectrum rocket in March 2026 to launch the in-orbit demonstration, and the UK subsidiary finalized the contract for the mission's final phase, adding more than 2.3 billion yen to backlog. The launch itself has slipped to Astroscale's FY2028 (from May 2027) or later, roughly a year past the 2026-2027 window previously expected, while Isar builds Spectrum flight heritage first.