235 million contract for the Italian in-orbit services demonstrator

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The contract awarded by ASI, the Italian Space Agency, to the consortium led by Thales Alenia Space – a joint venture between Thales, 67%, and Leonardo, 33% – to develop a demonstration system for in-orbit services is worth 235 million. The consortium formed by Thales Alenia Space, Leonardo, Telespazio, Avio and D-Orbit will have the objective of developing an autonomous robotic vehicle with advanced operational capabilities capable of operating in orbit and extending the life of satellites.

Mission In Orbit Servicing

The ambit is that of In Orbit Servicing (IOS), Thales Alenia Space will be the agent of a Temporary Grouping of Companies (RTI) which will be engaged in the low orbit demonstration mission created on the initiative of the Italian Government and financed with funds from the Pnrr. The demonstrator will be ready for launch by 2026 .

The number of satellites around the Earth is destined to grow due to needs related to geo-location, connectivity, weather forecasting and environmental monitoring. Thales Alenia Space is developing in-orbit assistance solutions to meet the operational needs of satellites. “This mission is the synthesis of the experience and skills of companies that have always been protagonists in complex space projects – said Massimo Claudio Comparini, CEO of Thales Alenia Space Italia – as well as new emerging space companies, characterized by a more agile approach».

To face this challenge, the Italian industry will use its multidisciplinary experience on launchers, satellite infrastructures, robotics, sensing, artificial intelligence and finally atmospheric re-entry systems. «The synergistic work between the actors involved will allow the promotion of an all-Italian technology at the service of the development of the space economy of our country» adds the CEO Comparini.

The In-Orbit Servicing activities represent a paradigm shift because they will make activities in space more sustainable, working on scalability and system flexibility as never happened in the past. The possibility of providing maintenance and updating possibilities in orbit on the satellites will also change the approach to the design of the satellites themselves.