TOULOUSE, FRANCE – On Tuesday, March 3, 2026, Astroscale France announced its participation in the ECO-Tethers project, a new system study under the European Space Agency’s (ESA) “FIRST!” (Technologies in Sustainability for Future Space Transportation) program.
The 12-month study, led by PERSEI Space as prime contractor, aims to validate electrodynamic tether-based solutions as a viable, propellant-free alternative for satellite deorbiting and in-orbit mobility.
The consortium brings together a specialized trio of European industry leaders: PERSEI Space (tether technology expertise), Thales Alenia Space Italy (system integration), and Astroscale France (operational Rendezvous and Proximity Operations experience).
Technical Specs: Electrodynamic Tether Mechanics
Electrodynamic tethers (EDTs) represent a departure from traditional chemical propulsion by leveraging the Earth’s natural space environment to generate force.
- Propulsion Mechanism: Long conductive tethers interact with the Earth’s ionosphere and geomagnetic field to create Lorentz force drag.
- Benefit: Enables deorbiting and orbital plane changes without using onboard chemical propellant, significantly reducing spacecraft mass and extending mission longevity.
- Focus Areas: The study will evaluate EDT applicability for three primary use cases:
- End-of-Life (EOL) Disposal: Automated deorbiting of satellites and upper rocket stages.
- Propellant-Free Mobility: Small-scale orbital maneuvers for active satellites.
- In-Orbit Servicing (IOS): Moving servicer vehicles between targets without depleting fuel reserves.
Context: Aligning with “Zero Debris” Ambitions
The ECO-Tethers initiative is a direct response to the increasing congestion in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and ESA’s Zero Debris Charter, which mandates that satellites launched after 2030 must have a reliable, high-probability deorbiting plan.
“ECO-Tethers is an important step in translating Europe’s sustainability ambitions into practical, deployable solutions,” said Philippe Blatt, Managing Director of Astroscale France. “By contributing our operational experience, we are helping ensure that concepts such as propellant-free deorbiting are not only technically sound, but also viable in real mission contexts.”
The project follows Astroscale France’s recent January 2026 partnership with Exotrail to develop sovereign European deorbiting capabilities, signaling a consolidated effort by French and European firms to dominate the emerging In-Orbit Servicing (IOS) market.
Timeline to Deployment
The ECO-Tethers system study is scheduled to run for 12 months, concluding in early 2027.
- Phase 1 (2026): System-level definitions and mission architecture modeling.
- Phase 2 (2027): Identification of technology readiness requirements and preliminary design for a future flight demonstration mission.
- Operational Goal: The consortium intends for these tether-based solutions to support a first commercial or institutional demonstration flight before 2030.
