France 2030: Infinite Orbits Lands Major French Government Tender, Bringing Aldoria on Board to Ensure Mission Space Safety.

September 17, 2024

Infinite Orbits, a Newspace geostationary in orbit services company, has won a multi-million Euro tender with CNES under the French government’s France 2030 initiative and has reached out to Aldoria, a leader in space situational awareness (SSA) for additional services.

Launched in October 2021, by the President of the French Republic, France 2030 is a €54 billion investment program aimed at transforming key sectors of the French economy through technological innovation. The France 2030 plan includes an initial budget of €1.5 billion for the space sector, with further growth anticipated as the plan’s deployment progresses. As part of this initiative, CNES (Centre National d'Études Spatiales) issued a tender for "demonstration of orbital mobility, life extension, and/or end-of-life management services," inviting proposals for cuttingedge in-orbit services. Infinite Orbits proposal, which included Aldoria’s space situational awareness capabilities as an additional service, was selected. The consortium led by Infinite Orbits and its partner, Telespazio France, will embark on two groundbreaking missions, starting in Q4 2024.

The first mission will feature Infinite Orbits’ life extension spacecraft named Endurance, which will dock with a selected commercial telecommunication satellite nearing the end of its life. The spacecraft will take over station-keeping duties, granting the satellite an additional five years of operational life, before managing its end-of-life disposal.

The second mission will deploy the company’s Orbit Guard #3 inspection spacecraft to rendezvous with the defunct EUMETSAT Meteosat 8 weather satellite. These missions aim at showcasing innovative solutions for satellite maintenance and end-of-life management.

Aldoria’s SSA services are complementary to the success of both missions. Infinite Orbits has enlisted Aldoria to track the targeted satellites throughout the mission in geostationary orbit (GEO), ensuring continuous monitoring and situational awareness and complement the data acquired on board.

 Aldoria’s extended tracking and precise tumbling analysis will ensure that every move is meticulously planned and executed. Over the course of one night, Aldoria’s optical stations can generate over 140 measurements in GEO, a frequency that is essential in highstakes phases such as RPO phases.

“Aldoria’s advanced tracking capabilities streamline the intricate process of rendezvous, providing real-time insights essential for safe docking, particularly with aging satellites. By integrating Aldoria’s SSA services, we ensure any risks are swiftly detected and addressed, significantly increasing the chances of mission success”- Mylène Bosio, VP Sales & Marketing.

“The safety of our in-orbit services missions is of course essential for us, and for our customers. We have chosen to multiply the sources of control for the most critical phases, both onboard and from the ground. And we are delighted to be working with partners like Aldoria to develop these capabilities in France” - Marion Andrieux CCO of Infinite Orbits.

 Additionally, in face of increasing space warfare capabilities, Aldoria’s also ensures that missions are safeguarded against potential malicious maneuvers. Through its proprietary network, Aldoria provides independent data solutions that are essential to maintain strategic flexibility in a domain that is becoming increasingly integral to national security and economic prosperity.

These projects are funded by the French government in the frame of the France 2030 boost plan.