Astroscale UK wins ISO 27001 ahead of space missions

Astroscale UK has achieved ISO/IEC 27001:2022 certification, covering its information security management system as it prepares a new set of in-orbit servicing missions.

The certification supports work on ELSA-M and Orpheus, two programmes at the centre of the company's UK operations. ELSA-M is intended to remove debris from orbit, while Orpheus focuses on sovereign UK defence work for the Ministry of Defence.

Both missions rely on rendezvous and proximity operations, in which one spacecraft approaches and works near another in orbit. As space missions grow more complex, that places greater emphasis on how operational data, mission planning and supplier information are managed.

The certification followed a 20-month programme across the business, including the development of policies, processes and governance, and was completed after an independent audit.

The standard is widely used as a benchmark for information security risk management. In this case, Astroscale UK said its system also addresses emerging risks linked to artificial intelligence and third-party suppliers.

Mission backdrop

ELSA-M is positioned as the world's first active debris removal mission once launched on an ISAR Aerospace Spectrum rocket. The project is part of a broader push across the space sector to deal with defunct satellites and rocket hardware that remain in orbit.

Orpheus, meanwhile, is being developed to provide a sovereign UK defence capability in in-orbit servicing. The work reflects growing government interest in domestic space technologies as orbital infrastructure becomes more strategically important.

Astroscale has already carried out demonstrations relevant to both programmes. Its ELSA-d mission tested long-range and short-range rendezvous, as well as magnetic capture of a client spacecraft.

In a separate mission, ADRAS-J approached and inspected a non-cooperative Japanese upper-stage rocket body from less than 15 metres away. The UK team developed the ground segment and led flight dynamics operations, including planning proximity manoeuvres and monitoring and mitigating collision alerts.

Security focus

The certification comes as operators, government customers and suppliers place greater weight on information security in space projects. Congestion in orbit, the use of autonomous systems and the involvement of multiple suppliers have increased scrutiny of how companies manage sensitive data and operational risk.

For companies involved in servicing, inspection and debris removal, those concerns extend beyond conventional cyber security. They also include assurance around mission procedures, supplier controls and the handling of data shared with public-sector partners.

Nick Shave described the milestone as an important step.

"Our missions combine frontier robotics and autonomous rendezvous with exacting operational discipline," said Nick Shave, Managing Director, Astroscale UK. "As we prepare ELSA-M, the world's first active debris removal mission, and advance the UK MOD Orpheus programme, we must give customers, government partners and suppliers confidence in how we manage sensitive information across the business and respond to evolving external risks. Achieving ISO 27001 is tangible evidence that we are building the secure, resilient organisation needed to deliver complex space missions in the UK."

The certification will be maintained through ongoing monitoring, risk management, staff engagement and regular external audits. It comes as the company seeks to build a broader pipeline of civil, defence and international missions from its UK base.

Astroscale, founded in Japan in 2013, operates across the United Kingdom, the United States, France and Israel. The group has worked with organisations including JAXA, the US Space Force, the European Space Agency, the UK Space Agency and Eutelsat on in-orbit servicing and debris-related missions.

The latest accreditation adds a formal security benchmark to a business seeking to turn early technical demonstrations into operational contracts in a sector where trust, risk management and mission assurance face increasing scrutiny.