HRH The Prince of Wales visits Astroscale Ltd, Harwell Innovation Centre and the UK Atomic Energy Authority, Culham

HRH The Prince of Wales visited Astroscale Ltd to learn of their ground-breaking ELSA-d space mission. Met on arrival by Marjorie Glasgow BEM, HRH was introduced to Paul Bate, CEO of the UK Space Agency and John Auburn, Managing Director Astroscale Ltd along with Sanjay Bhandari, Chair of the Board, Satellite Applications Catapult. Martin Fiennes DL accompanied HRH throughout the visit.

Astroscale is the first private company with a vision for the safe and sustainable development of space for the benefit of future generations, and the only company solely dedicated to in-orbit servicing across all orbits. Orbital congestion and space debris, remains a significant global challenge with an estimated 36,500 debris objects greater than 10cm already in space. Objects can stay in orbit for hundreds of years and present a danger to the rapidly increasing number of satellites which we are all dependent on for global communications, earth observation and infrastructure. 

Astroscale also works to support governments and commercial companies to encourage the safe and sustainable use of space and develop their commitment to supporting the removal of space debris. to demonstrate the removal of a replica defunct satellite from low Earth orbit. The ELSA-d (End-of-life Services by Astroscale demonstration) spacecraft already in orbit. This comprises spacecraft services demonstrating debris capture technology through repeated docking and releasing of a ‘client’ satellite. These are currently controlled by the Astroscale Mission Operations & Ground Segment team at National In-orbit Servicing Control Centre, a facility developed by Astroscale. Having recently been awarded funding from the European Space Agency’s Space Safety programme, Astroscale is working on developing the technology to remove multiple retired satellites in a single mission from space. This new project will build on other Astroscale missions including ELSA-d (End of Life Services by Astroscale). Astroscale are looking to scale up this technology in 2024. 

HRH was given a brief introduction of the organisation’s work before being given a demonstration of the mission control tools and was shown a smaller scale model of the ELSA-d spacecraft. HRH then joined a meeting to hear about the UK’s efforts to tackle space sustainability and ensure the responsible use of space. 

Following his visit to Astroscale, HRH moved on to the UK Atomic Energy Authority based at Culham Science Centre. Met by Marjorie Glasgow BEM on arrival, HRH was introduced to Professor David Gann, Chair of UKAEA and Professor Ian Chapman Chief Executive of UKAEA.

HRH was given a brief overview of fusion, before proceeding to the Joint European Torus (JET) Control Room where he met senior staff from EUROfusion (the European organisation that carries out research on JET) and viewed a video of a JET fusion test. 

HRH then met engineers in the Remote Handling Control Room, and watched them controlling a robot arm that is used to carry out work inside JET before moving to the large ‘Torus Hall’ where the actual JET experimental fusion machine is housed. HRH was then given the opportunity to meet scientists, engineers, funders and partners of JET.