Cosmoserve to Demonstrate Satellite Capture in Orbit

Indian space technology startup Cosmoserve Space will demonstrate its soft robotic satellite capture technology in orbit for the first time through Mission Embrace, which will fly aboard Skyroot Aerospace’s maiden orbital launch vehicle, Vikram-1, during the approved launch window from July 12 to August 4.

Mission Embrace is part of Mission Aagaman, expected to be India’s first orbital launch by a privately developed launch vehicle carrying satellite payloads. According to the company, the mission will also attempt the world’s first in-orbit demonstration of a soft robotic capture system designed to engage inactive and uncontrolled satellites.

The mission aims to validate a compliant robotic capture mechanism developed for future Active Debris Removal (ADR) and in-orbit servicing missions. As the number of satellites in Earth orbit continues to grow, the accumulation of defunct spacecraft and orbital debris has emerged as a major challenge for space agencies and commercial operators, increasing the risk of collisions and threatening the long-term sustainability of space operations.

Cosmoserve Space is developing a dual-spacecraft system comprising a robotic servicing vehicle capable of rendezvousing with, capturing, and removing defunct satellites. Its soft robotic capture mechanism is designed to engage unprepared and non-cooperative objects safely, one of the most significant technical challenges in orbital servicing.

Mission Embrace will evaluate the technology under actual spaceflight conditions and generate engineering data to support the company’s future debris removal and in-orbit servicing missions.

According to Cosmoserve Space, the capture system progressed from concept to flight-qualified hardware in just four months. The technology underwent a series of engineering reviews, including the System Concept Review (SCR), Preliminary Design Review (PDR), Critical Design Review (CDR), and Flight Readiness Review (FRR), under the supervision of an independent committee comprising former scientists from the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and industry experts.

Dr. Chiranjeevi Phanindra, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Cosmoserve Space, said the mission marks an important milestone in the development of technologies for sustainable space operations.

“Mission Embrace forms part of India’s first private orbital launch carrying satellite payloads while also attempting the world’s first demonstration of soft robotic capture in orbit. The mission demonstrates how collaboration within India’s private space ecosystem can accelerate the development of advanced space technologies,” he said.

Industry experts say Active Debris Removal is expected to become an increasingly important capability as satellite deployments continue to expand worldwide. Technologies that enable the safe capture, servicing, and disposal of defunct spacecraft are likely to play a crucial role in maintaining the long-term sustainability of Earth’s orbital environment.

Mission Embrace is the first milestone in Cosmoserve Space’s long-term programme to develop technologies for Active Debris Removal, in-orbit servicing, and spacecraft refuelling. The company expects the mission to generate operational data that will support future commercial orbital servicing missions.