Creotech Instruments, a Polish space technology company, has been selected by OrbitFab – a global pioneer in commercial satellite refueling – to take part in the Astral project, a European demonstration mission for in-orbit satellite servicing. The initiative is carried out in cooperation with the European Space Agency (ESA).
The company will supply two of its proprietary HyperSat satellite platforms for the mission. One will serve as the Servicer spacecraft, the other as the Target. They will be launched as a single integrated stack and then perform a series of experiments including fuel transfer, separation, approach maneuvers and re-docking.
The project aims to advance in-orbit servicing (IOS) technologies such as autonomous docking, rendezvous and proximity operations (RPO), and propellant transfer between satellites. These capabilities could extend satellite lifespans, reduce mission costs and create a new market for orbital servicing.
Mission objectives and technology
The Astral mission is scheduled for the years 2028–2029. The first phase, valued at around 250,000 euro, covers eight months of work. Creotech will prepare system documentation, interface control documents (ICD) for the platforms and payloads, ground segment specifications, test equipment plans, risk assessments and licensing requirements.
– The selection of the HyperSat platform by OrbitFab for the Astral mission confirms the maturity of our technologies and their competitiveness on the international space market. It also opens the door to the area of satellite servicing in orbit, which in the coming years will be one of the fastest growing segments of the space economy – says Dr. Grzegorz Brona, CEO of Creotech Instruments.
Strategic importance of in-orbit servicing
The project is run by an international consortium bringing together partners from the United Kingdom, Austria, Lithuania and Poland. OrbitFab, the mission leader and integrator, already holds contracts for fuel deliveries to satellites, including for the United States Space Force.
Developing in-orbit servicing technologies has strategic implications. In 2019 NATO recognised space as the fifth operational domain. The ability to service satellites and extend their operational life becomes a key element of defence planning and resilience of space-based infrastructure used for security purposes.
Creotech Instruments has been gaining experience in in-orbit servicing through projects such as InSPoC-1 and RAVEN. Astral adds satellite refueling to its portfolio. The company is also the leader and key technology partner in programmes like MikroGlob, CAMILA and PIAST.
Źródło: WNP.PL, Fot. PTWP
