US Military Awards $24 Million Contract to Clean Up Space Debris
Washington, Thursday, 13 August 2026.
On August 12, 2026, the U.S. military awarded D-Orbit Space $24 million to demonstrate commercial space cleanup, utilizing specialized robotic hands to safely remove hazardous orbital debris.
Defense Agencies Fund Orbital Logistics Prototype
On 12 August 2026, D-Orbit Space, Inc. announced a significant contract award valued at $24 million from the Defense Innovation Unit and the Space Development Agency [1]. This funding is designated to demonstrate Deorbit-as-a-Service, a capability aimed at establishing Low Earth Orbit logistics as a managed commercial service for defense operations [1]. The U.S. subsidiary of D-Orbit SpA will serve as the prime contractor for this initiative, marking a validation of space logistics delivered as a service rather than solely as hardware [1]. The project focuses on proving capabilities such as rendezvous and docking, which are intended to support future refueling, repair, inspection, and re-positioning of satellites for the U.S. government [1].
Collaborative Technology for Debris Mitigation
To achieve these mission outcomes, D-Orbit Space is partnering with TransAstra and Falcon Exodynamics [1]. TransAstra is contributing capture technology, specifically a 4-meter Mantis capture hand designed to secure non-cooperative orbital debris objects not originally built for servicing [1]. Falcon Exodynamics, founded in 2017, is participating as a mission partner providing an integrated multi-phenomenology rendezvous and proximity operations payload for autonomous end-to-end operations [1]. This partnership aims to demonstrate a faster, more flexible, and more affordable way to move and support payloads on orbit, leveraging Falcon Exodynamics’ 9 years of industry presence [1].
Strategic Implications and Project Timelines
Mike Cassidy, CEO of D-Orbit Space, Inc., stated that the selection is a strong validation of the belief that space logistics should be delivered as a service [1]. Joel Sercel, Founder and CEO of TransAstra, noted that debris removal is one of the defining challenges of operating safely in orbit and demands hardware that can grapple objects never designed to be touched again [1]. While the contract aims to establish orbital debris mitigation as a managed service, no specific delivery dates or project milestones were provided in the initial announcement [1]. Future program milestones and demonstration objectives are expected to be released publicly as the effort progresses [1].