Have you ever wondered what would happen if a communication satellite runs out of power? Well, no need to worry about it because some startups are addressing this issue.  Satellites occupying valuable space in orbit will now get a new lease on life. Effective Space is a British aerospace company that plans to launch a fleet of space drones.

The company has an R&D center in Tel Aviv with headquarters in London. They signed a $100 million contract with a satellite operator to launch their space drones by the year 2020.  These space drones are designed to work with satellites that are low on fuel. They will land on existing satellites and keep them operational. Using propulsion systems, the drones will dock on a satellite and maneuver it for as long as possible. They can even move the satellite into a graveyard orbit if necessary.

The company was started in 2013 by Arie Halsband who was the former general manager of the space division at Israeli Aerospace Industries. Halsband noted that the company will enable satellite owners to maximize the lifespan of their equipment. They can use their equipment until the fuel is completely depleted before decommissioning.  Effective Space signed contracts of intent with several customers and will be raising funds in a Series B round before the end of the year.

The technology developed by the company is a major advancement in satellite operations for the near future.  Maximizing satellite resources is becoming a competitive industry. Another company based in the United States called Space Logistics, a branch of Orbital ATK will release a life extension space drone this year. The spacecraft will be more affordable than previous models.

As Earth’s space gets more and more crowded with all types of satellites – including small nano-satellites. We need companies that can help us maximize our existing assets and reduce the potential for collision.  Clarke Belt is located 36000 km from the earth and is home to several satellites. Operations from weather forecasting to tv broadcasting is done from this piece of space real estate, but it’s getting crowded up there.

Satellites are designed to stay in operation for 15 years and after that, the spacecraft can no longer control its position. It loses its orientation and positioning and officially becomes space junk that needs to be moved to the graveyard orbit.  There is well over 170 million pieces of space debris floating in the earth’s atmosphere and these companies will hopefully develop more innovative ways to declutter Earth’s space junk.