Japan's Astroscale and Germany's OHB explore in-orbit servicing work

Japanese satellite-servicing company Astroscale and German space firm OHB have signed a memorandum of understanding to explore working together on technology to protect satellites and other infrastructure in orbit, with a focus on linking Astroscale's British subsidiary with OHB in Germany. The two companies announced the agreement on Oct. 28 at the German Embassy in Tokyo during a German-Japanese industrial event. It covers in-orbit servicing, assembly and manufacturing, known as ISAM, which includes spacecraft that can approach, inspect, repair or move other satellites, as well as space domain awareness, the tracking of objects and activity in orbit, and related space security work. A memorandum of understanding is not a contract, and the companies did not name any specific project, customer, value or timeline. Astroscale said the main aim is closer cooperation between Astroscale UK and OHB, which could open export opportunities for UK-developed technology, and that the deal also gives the partners a basis to explore work in Japan, where Astroscale is headquartered. "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 sustainability of the space domain," said Nobu Okada, founder and chief executive officer of Astroscale. The agreement follows a closer UK-German relationship on defense and space. Prime Minister Andy Burnham and Chancellor Friedrich Merz completed ratification of the Kensington Treaty, a broad bilateral cooperation agreement signed in July 2025, in Berlin on Oct. 8. In a joint statement that day, the two governments said they intend to deepen space cooperation across civil, commercial, security and defense interests and to work toward a formal space memorandum of understanding at government consultations in early 2027. The two countries had already signed the Trinity House Agreement on defense cooperation in October 2024. Astroscale UK, based at Harwell in Oxfordshire, has been winning a growing share of British military space work. Last week, the UK Ministry of Defence hired it as prime contractor for LEDA, a £15 million (about $20 million) mission to build, launch and operate a spacecraft that will study how satellites maneuvering close to other spacecraft could be used in orbital warfare and how to counter them. The company has also proposed a fleet of "bodyguard" spacecraft to protect valuable satellites. OHB, based in Bremen, is one of Europe's largest satellite manufacturers and builds spacecraft for the European Galileo navigation system and radar reconnaissance satellites for the German armed forces. "Space infrastructure has become indispensable to modern society and must be protected accordingly. Combining our expertise with Astroscale's unique capabilities in in-orbit servicing will allow us to explore innovative approaches for supporting secure, resilient and sustainable space operations," said Markus Moeller, chief strategy officer at OHB.