GMV to join ESA’s ERASE mission for active space debris removal

GMV is one of five companies selected for Phase 0 of ERASE (European Active Removal of Space Elements), a strategic European Space Agency (ESA) mission focused on the active removal of large objects from low Earth orbit (LEO). This milestone places the company at the heart of one of Europe’s most ambitious initiatives to ensure the sustainability of our orbital environment.

ESA has awarded five contracts in this initial phase. In addition to GMV, the recipients are OHB SE, The Exploration Company, Leonardo, and Airbus Defence and Space. The aim is to assess mission concepts and system architectures for the removal of inactive satellites and other large pieces of space debris. As part of ESA’s Space Safety program, these actions contribute to the goal of establishing “Zero Debris” by 2030.

The ERASE mission will tackle one of the space sector’s most pressing challenges: the accumulation of non-operational objects in orbit, which increases the risk of collisions and threatens critical infrastructure. Specific targets include the removal of large satellites such as MetOp and Sentinel-1. Despite having initiated deorbiting maneuvers, these satellites remain in orbits where reentry could take up to 25 years, which was the standard at the time of launch, but is well beyond the current standard.

GMV will serve as prime contractor, spearheading all the key activities such as the mission design and associated systems engineering; mission analysis, guidance, navigation, and control (GNC); and the development of robotic solutions. The company will assess various operational scenarios, including both cooperative and non-cooperative approaches, which are essential for addressing the wide variety of objects currently in orbit.

One of the distinguishing features of GMV’s proposal is the use of the CAT (Capture Bay for Active Debris Removal) system, an advanced robotic capture technology designed to safely dock with defunct satellites. Developed over several projects and set for in-orbit demonstration as part of ESA’s CAT-IOD mission, the system incorporates motion-compensation mechanisms, stabilization of non-cooperative targets, and force-transfer capabilities to facilitate their controlled removal. In this specific area, GMV works in collaboration with AVS.

Phase 0 of the ERASE mission will make it possible to study technical, technological, and programmatic solutions aimed at establishing recurring space debris removal capabilities, laying the groundwork for future operational services in this field. The initiative builds on more than a decade of European developments under programs such as ESA Space Safety’s Clean Space efforts and strengthens collaboration among industry, the European Commission, and organizations such as EUMETSAT.