Europe advances in-orbit servicing: RISE mission passes milestone review

ESA’s Resilient In-orbit Servicing for Europe (RISE) mission has successfully completed its Systems Requirements Review (SRR). The review confirmed the satellite’s performance is expected to meet all requirements to complete its mission to become Europe’s first commercial in-orbit servicing mission.

RISE, part of ESA’s Space Safety programme and co-funded by prime contractor D-Orbit, will safely rendezvous with and dock to a geostationary satellite to extend its lifetime after running low on propellant. Docking with a satellite and taking control of its orbit and attitude requires new technologies for advanced robotics and close-proximity operations.

*The RISE satellite approaching its client satellite. Credit: ESA.*

Due to the complexity and innovation required by such a mission, through the ESA mission D-Orbit will firstly demonstrate the technologies to satisfaction in orbit. Following this D-Orbit will use the spacecraft to offer mission life extension services to paying customers in geostationary orbit.

Pinning down RISE’s system requirements

“Over the past 18 months, D-Orbit and its partners have invested a substantial effort into the design of RISE, with a particular focus on demonstrating the strengths of its capture system through a series of impressive test campaigns,” says Andrew Wolahan, RISE project manager at ESA.

The ESA’s SRR concluded successfully on 11 July, confirming that the requirements and commercial needs are well captured in D-Orbit’s design. The mission meets all performance, safety and system-level requirements and is ready to move into the next development phase.

*Innovation is in the details, like these two joints of the robotic arm. Credit: D-Orbit.*

Mariella Ragno, RISE project manager at D-Orbit, says, “The successful completion of the System Requirements Review marks a key milestone for the RISE mission and for D-Orbit itself, validating its solid design supported by extensive prototyping and testing. This achievement opens the door to Europe’s first commercial in-orbit servicing mission, promoting satellite life extension and enhancing space sustainability.”

RISE’s technical and strategic significance were spotlighted at the Paris Air Show in Le Bourget, where RISE was presented during a high-level panel featuring Josef Aschbacher, ESA Director General, Teodoro Valente, President of the Italian Space Agency (ASI), Giancarlo Giorgetti, Minister of Economy of Italy, and Luca Rossettini, CEO of D-Orbit, with the discussion moderated by Holger Krag, Head of Space Safety at ESA.

The panel showcased the European commitment to developing sovereign capabilities in in-orbit servicing and space sustainability, with partner companies collaborating on RISE located in many countries across Europe.

*Servicing space, securing Europe: the RISE panel at the 2025 Paris Air Show. Credit: ESA.*

Towards a Zero Debris future

RISE is a Cornerstone mission of ESA’s Space Safety Programme, meant to strengthen efforts to protect Earth’s orbital environment and pave the way towards the sustainable use of space. As part of the Agency’s Zero Debris approach, ESA is developing new missions according to its strict Space Debris Mitigation Guidelines. This includes clean, sustainable operations and end-of-life disposal, preventing the creation of new debris by 2030.

By enabling satellite servicing and life extension, RISE goes even further: it marks a meaningful step away from single-use satellites and towards a circular economy in space. Instead of abandoning or replacing satellites, their time in orbit is extended.

Stay tuned as RISE continues development towards its launch, planned in 2029. It will just be the beginning for commercial in-orbit servicing in Europe.