Barum & Dewar was delighted to be awarded a third follow on contract with Astroscale, an international leader in the space sector, in July 2023, for the design and manufacture of the transit and storage container for the End of Life Services by Astroscale-Multiple mission (ELSA-M). The container was successfully delivered to Astroscale’s brand new facility, Zeus, at Harwell, Oxfordshire in December 2023 ahead of the preparation for anticipated launch of an in-orbit demonstration mission in 2025.

This project will be the world’s first commercial removal of a client’s inactive satellite and have the ability to remove multiple inactive satellites one at a time. Funding for the in-orbit demonstration mission is being provided by the U.K. Space Agency, the European Space Agency and OneWeb. The project is pivotal in delivering Astroscale’s vision of securing the safe and sustainable development of space for the benefit of future generations.

Having originally provided a B&D DELTA^® style transit container for the earlier structural qualification model (SQM) development and testing schedule, the mission container is a fully fabricated and environmentally sealed bespoke solution, including a shock mounted platform, purge and rapid decompression capability and dual height lids to suit variable payloads.

The container will safely transport the ELSA-M spacecraft both domestically and internationally providing a secure, clean, and dry environment. In addition, the container will protect the payload from shock, vibration and ground handling movements whilst ensuring all safe handing practices are provided for.

The rapid growth of the space sector has resulted in a large amount of debris which poses a risk to existing satellites, space stations and astronauts and risks inhibiting future space exploration. Barum & Dewar is proud to be part of a project that is focused on making the sector more sustainable.

David Frame commented, “Having designed and manufactured the initial DELTA^® style container for the qualification model Barum & Dewar were delighted to be awarded the follow on contract for the ELSA-M mission spacecraft container. This latest contract reflects the trust placed on B&D by Astroscale and reflects the relationship established over the last 2-3 years.

B&D have developed a hard earned reputation not just with the UK but now internationally as one of the go-to companies for satellite container design and manufacture.

Our teams have worked closely with Astroscale colleagues to ensure the design and subsequent manufacture was undertaken on time, within agreed budget and to the highest of build standards”

Carlotta Morini, Project Director, said, “We’re delighted to be working with Barum & Dewar again on this third contract. It is fantastic to have such a strong supply chain as the ELSA-M mission continues to grow and pave the way for commercial in-orbiting practises to become routine to ensure our orbits stay safe and sustainable for future generations.”