OHB SE and Astroscale Holdings Inc. have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to investigate joint opportunities in space security, space domain awareness and in-orbit servicing, further strengthening industrial cooperation between Germany, the United Kingdom and Japan.
The agreement was announced at a German-Japanese industry event held at the German Embassy in Tokyo on the sidelines of Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s trip to Asia. It establishes a framework for identifying potential joint activities that leverage the strengths of both companies to address the growing demand for resilient and secure space systems.
As satellite services become increasingly essential for communications, navigation, Earth observation and security applications, safeguarding space-based infrastructure is becoming a strategic priority for governments and commercial operators alike. Through the MoU, OHB and Astroscale will explore opportunities to combine their respective expertise in satellite systems engineering, mission operations, space situational awareness and in-orbit services.
A particular focus will be placed on cooperation between OHB in Germany and Astroscale’s UK entity, while also examining opportunities involving Astroscale’s activities in Japan and other international markets. The collaboration reflects a shared commitment to advancing technologies that contribute to the long-term usability and security of the space environment.
“Space infrastructure has become indispensable to modern society and must be protected accordingly,” said Markus Moeller, CSO at OHB SE. “Combining our expertise with Astroscale’s unique capabilities in in-orbit servicing will allow us to explore innovative approaches supporting secure and resilient space operations. We see significant potential in working together to address evolving customer requirements and future challenges in orbit.”
Nobu Okada, founder and CEO of Astroscale, said: “The future of space security will be built on trusted partnerships between allied nations. While sovereign capabilities remain important, many of the challenges facing spacefaring nations are too complex and too interconnected for any single country to address alone.
By bringing together complementary expertise from Germany, the United Kingdom and Japan through this collaboration, we are helping to build the industrial relationships and capabilities needed to support the long-term security, resilience and usability of the space domain.”
The agreement reflects a broader trend toward international cooperation in the space sector, where increasingly complex missions and emerging challenges require close collaboration between trusted industrial partners. By combining complementary expertise, OHB and Astroscale aim to help advance technologies that contribute to a safe and secure future in space.
About Astroscale
Founded in 2013, Astroscale is the global leader in on-orbit servicing, dedicated to the safe and sustainable development of space. The company delivers a variety of innovative and scalable on-orbit servicing solutions, including life extension, in-situ space situational awareness, end-of-life, and active debris removal. These solutions empower satellite operators to reduce risks, increase returns, and achieve mission success while fostering a sustainable space environment. Astroscale is also defining the economics of on-orbit servicing and collaborating with government and commercial stakeholders to develop norms, regulations, and incentives that promote the sustainable growth of space.
Since its first successful launch in March 2021, Astroscale has proven rendezvous and proximity operations technologies in orbit during the ELSA-d and ADRAS-J missions, establishing the company as a leader in on-orbit servicing.
Astroscale spacecraft have been selected for pioneering missions with JAXA, the U.S. Space Force, the European Space Agency, the UK Space Agency, and Eutelsat. As more satellite operators adopt on-orbit servicing to routinely inspect, relocate, remove, and extend the life of spacecraft, the potential of a circular space economy — and a future of no waste in space — is being unlocked.
Headquartered in Japan, Astroscale has a global presence with subsidiaries in the United Kingdom, the United States, France, and Israel.
Discover more about Astroscale at https://www.astroscale.com/
