NorthStar Earth & Space, the first commercial service provider to monitor space from space, and SES, the leader in global content connectivity solutions, have signed an agreement to collaborate on the implementation of next-generation commercial Space Situational Awareness (SSA) services. The aim is to significantly increase the precision of resident space object (RSO) tracking to enhance the safety and sustainability of operations in space, both companies announced today.
This agreement follows NorthStar and SES’s announcement last year to collaborate and contribute to the realization of a more sustainable space environment, and reinforces their shared commitment to leading the way towards responsible practices in space. By leveraging their complementary expertise, advanced technologies, and comprehensive satellite networks the companies will collaborate to optimize cutting-edge SSA services of unique dimension, precision and reliability. This commercial service will enhance traditional fleet management capabilities by reducing collision risk and enabling optimum safety and efficiency during operations.
“We are delighted to announce our next step in our strategic partnership with SES,” said Stewart Bain, CEO of NorthStar. “The safety and sustainability of space demand collaboration between trusted partners in the space community. Our agreement represents a significant milestone in the advancement of commercial SSA services. By combining NorthStar’s innovative SSA services with SES’s extensive satellite fleet operations experience, the partnership will deliver unparalleled insights and solutions to transform the way we operate safely in space.”
Ruy Pinto, CEO Designate of SES, expressed his enthusiasm for the collaboration stating, “At SES, we recognize the fundamental importance of space sustainability, and we consider it a core pillar of our ESG strategy. Not only do we want to pioneer and lead the way in this sector, we want to collaborate with industry partners to bring about significant change. In this regard, Space Situational Awareness is fundamental to manage the increasingly crowded and dynamic space environment. By partnering with NorthStar, we aim to combine our extensive experience in space operations and space safety, with their state-of-the-art products to deliver more comprehensive and reliable SSA.”
The collaboration between NorthStar and SES exemplifies the importance of collective efforts that deliver services that enable safe operations to foster a more sustainable space economy, addressing the urgent challenges posed by increasing space debris and orbital congestion.
