ELSA-M
An Astroscale spacecraft designed to capture retired satellites fitted with a docking plate and remove them from orbit, planned to launch on an Isar Aerospace rocket.
Why it matters
Large constellations will leave failed satellites behind. A paid removal service would give operators a way to clear them and keep their orbits usable.
How the technology works
ELSA-M follows Astroscale's ELSA-d mission, which demonstrated rendezvous and magnetic capture of a client spacecraft in orbit. The servicer is designed to approach a prepared client satellite, capture it magnetically by its docking plate and remove it from orbit.
Eutelsat, ESA and the UK Space Agency are its customers.