SKY Perfect JSAT Corporation (Head Office: Minato-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director, President & Chief Executive Officer: Eiichi Yonekura; “SKY Perfect JSAT”) and Astroscale Holdings Inc. (Head Office: Sumida-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director, President & CEO: Mitsunobu Okada; “Astroscale”) have agreed to establish a capital and business partnership focused on creating business opportunities in the new space service domain, with the goal of enabling the reliable and sustainable utilization of the space environment. Going forward, the two companies will cooperate in the area of “on-orbit services,” including satellite inspection, repair, and life-extension initiatives led by Astroscale, and will jointly drive the development of new business.

SKY Perfect JSAT, as one of Asia’s largest satellite communications operators, has built a diverse range of businesses centered on communications and broadcasting by leveraging its advanced satellite operations expertise developed over many years, as well as its satellite fleet*1 and ground infrastructure, primarily serving the Asia-Pacific region. In recent years, the company has been further diversifying its business portfolio, including initiatives in the national security and Earth observation sector.

Astroscale is a global leader in on-orbit servicing and is at the forefront of enabling secure and sustainable space development. Astrocale provides a broad range of on-orbit service solutions, including inspection and diagnostics of non-functional and operational spacecraft, life extension, repair, and upgrading of satellites. Since March 2021, Astroscale has demonstrated RPO (Rendezvous and Proximity Operations) capabilities*2 through missions such as ELSA-d and ADRAS-J*3 showcasing its advanced technologies and proven track record. Astroscale is also involved in international missions in collaboration with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), space agencies around the world, and private-sector partners, and is accelerating the expansion of its global business.

By combining SKY Perfect JSAT’s expertise and infrastructure in satellite operations with Astroscale’s on-orbit servicing technologies, the two companies aim to contribute to the realization of more reliable space solutions through the creation of new space services. They will also explore their focus globally and support the growth of the space industry and a new space economy ecosystem through sustainable and commercially viable solutions.

■ Executive Comments

Eiichi Yonekura, Representative Director, President & Chief Executive Officer, SKY Perfect JSAT

“This capital and business alliance represents a significant strategic step toward advancing into the next-generation space infrastructure domain, centered on on-orbit servicing.

As the utilization of space continues to expand rapidly, we believe the industry is shifting from simply ‘launching and operating satellites’ to an era in which satellites are ‘maintaining, extended, and enhanced in orbit.’ On-orbit servicing is a core technology that will support this transformation and has the potential to fundamentally reshape the space industry in the future.

Astroscale is a global pioneer in this field, and combining its capabilities with SKY Perfect JSAT’s strengths of long-standing expertise in satellite operations, space infrastructure, and global networks, we are confident that we can create new value. Through this partnership, we aim to establish on-orbit servicing as a new growth area —alongside communications and Earth observation—over the medium to long term."

Mitsunobu Okada, Representative Director, President & CEO, Astroscale

“SKY Perfect JSAT’s investment marks an important milestone in strengthening collaboration among leading global space companies. Services such as life extension and refueling for geostationary satellites offer compelling opportunities to improve overall fleet efficiency and operational flexibility. By combining Astroscale’s on-orbit servicing technologies with SKY Perfect JSAT’s extensive operational experience, we will accelerate the delivery of scalable, commercially viable solutions that drive the space economy.”