Astroscale
Orbital debris removal, on-orbit servicing, and space sustainability company.
Astroscale Holdings Inc. is a public on-orbit servicing company headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, founded in 2013 by Mitsunobu Okada. The company develops life extension, in-situ space situational awareness, end-of-life, and active debris removal solutions. Astroscale has raised over $380 million in funding including a Series G round, and operates subsidiaries in the US, UK, Israel, and Singapore. Its ADRAS-J mission concluded operations in March 2026 after 293 days in orbit, having validated autonomous rendezvous and collision-avoidance approaches to within 15 meters of debris, and won a Japan Ministry of Defense award; ADRAS-J2, the removal-phase follow-on, is planned for FY2027. Astroscale selected Isar Aerospace to launch its ELSA-M in-orbit-demonstration mission in March 2026, and formed a strategic partnership with SKY Perfect JSAT in May 2026 to advance satellite inspection, repair, and life-extension services.
Overview
- Headquarters
- Tokyo, Japan
- Founded
- 2013
- Employees
- 300+
- Total funding
- $380M+
- Valuation
- Public (Tokyo Stock Exchange Growth)
- Stage
- Series G
- Status
- active
- Domains
- Orbital debris removal, On-orbit servicing, Space situational awareness, Satellite life extension
- X / Twitter
- x.com/Astroscale
- Website
- astroscale.com
Investors0
No linked records yet.
Cap table2
Approximate ownership by holder. Indexed holders link to their records.
Raised per round
Percentages marked ~ are not disclosed. Some are a generic VC-pattern model (founders/team weighted heaviest, option pool lightest, other holders evenly) sized to whatever's left undisclosed — a standard industry shape, not this company's actual cap table.
| Holder | Instrument | Ownership |
|---|---|---|
Founders & team | Common | ~37.5% |
Other investors | Preferred / Common | ~25.0% |
Series E investorsNew | Preferred (Series E) | ~25.0% |
Employee option pool | Options | ~12.5% |
Contracts4
- ContractAutonomous Rendezvous and Docking ContractAir Force Research Laboratory contract for autonomous satellite servicing capabilities.
- ContractESA In-Orbit Refurbishment and Upgrading Service (IRUS) StudyESA Space Safety Programme Phase A study contract for Astroscale UK.
- ContractUK Dstl Orpheus Mission£5.15M UK Dstl contract for Astroscale UK's Orpheus space-domain-awareness mission.
- ContractJAXA Space Strategy Fund — GEO Refueling TechnologyJAXA Space Strategy Fund selection for Astroscale Japan to develop electric propellant refueling technology.
Programs0
No linked records yet.
Frequently asked
- What does Astroscale do?
- Astroscale Holdings Inc. is a public on-orbit servicing company headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, founded in 2013 by Mitsunobu Okada. The company develops life extension, in-situ space situational awareness, end-of-life, and active debris removal solutions. Astroscale has raised over $380 million in funding including a Series G round, and operates subsidiaries in the US, UK, Israel, and Singapore. Its ADRAS-J mission concluded operations in March 2026 after 293 days in orbit, having validated autonomous rendezvous and collision-avoidance approaches to within 15 meters of debris, and won a Japan Ministry of Defense award; ADRAS-J2, the removal-phase follow-on, is planned for FY2027. Astroscale selected Isar Aerospace to launch its ELSA-M in-orbit-demonstration mission in March 2026, and formed a strategic partnership with SKY Perfect JSAT in May 2026 to advance satellite inspection, repair, and life-extension services.
- Where is Astroscale headquartered?
- Astroscale is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan and was founded in 2013.
- How much funding has Astroscale raised?
- Astroscale has raised $380M+ in disclosed funding.
- What does Astroscale specialize in?
- Astroscale works across Orbital debris removal, On-orbit servicing, Space situational awareness, Satellite life extension.
- Does Astroscale hold government contracts?
- Defense Tech Atlas links Astroscale to 4 government contracts.
Sources & citations5
Each claim links to its underlying source. Confidence reflects how directly the source supports the claim.
- 1
Astroscale was founded in 2013 by Mitsunobu Okada and is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan
Wikipedia: AstroscaleVerified2026-05-23 - 2
Astroscale's ADRAS-J satellite approached a rocket upper stage to approximately 15 meters, the closest approach by a commercial company to space debris
Via Satellite: Astroscale ADRAS-J Mission Gets Within 15 Meters of Space DebrisReported2024-12-11 - 3
Astroscale's ADRAS-J mission completes operations after 293 days in orbit and begins deorbit, having validated a 15-meter approach to debris; wins Japan Ministry of Defense Award
Astroscale: Astroscale's ADRAS-J Mission Completes Operations, Begins DeorbitVerified2026-03-25 - 4
Astroscale selects Isar Aerospace to launch its ELSA-M in-orbit-demonstration mission
Astroscale: Astroscale Selects Isar Aerospace to Launch ELSA-M In-Orbit DemonstrationVerified2026-03-16 - 5
Astroscale and SKY Perfect JSAT form strategic partnership to advance space infrastructure development, joint work on satellite inspection/repair/life-extension
Astroscale: Astroscale and SKY Perfect JSAT Form Strategic PartnershipVerified2026-05-19