Astroscale France opens new office in Toulouse to advance French and European sovereignty in space

Astroscale France SAS has officially opened its new headquarters and advanced R&D lab in Toulouse, strengthening its commitment to domestic innovation and Europe's sovereignty in space. 

The expansion marks a pivotal step in Astroscale France’s mission to lead the emerging In-Orbit Services (IOS) market in Europe. Located in the heart of the French aerospace ecosystem, the new site will enable the company to scale its R&D, grow its supply chain, and deepen collaboration with Centre National D’Etudes Spatiales (“CNES”), the French Space Command, the European Space Agency and European defence stakeholders. 

“The Toulouse office is more than just a new location — it’s a statement of intent,” said Philippe Blatt, president and managing director, Astroscale France. “We’re building the foundations of a resilient and sovereign space infrastructure for Europe, powered by regional talent, advanced technology, and strong partnerships.” 

Since its formation two years ago, Astroscale France has established itself as a critical player in Europe’s space sustainability ecosystem. By developing core technical capabilities and assembling a world-class engineering team, the company has earned recognition from CNES and the Space Command for its contribution to Europe’s long-term space ambitions. 

The company’s roadmap is underpinned by a commitment to innovation and a broader mission to expand the European IOS market. The Toulouse office allows for faster development cycles and localised prototyping, while enabling tighter integration with nearby suppliers. This focus on domestic capability directly supports Europe’s call for a more sovereign and resilient space sector. 

Astroscale France’s direction aligns with the priorities outlined at the 2024 EU ISOS Strategic Forum, which emphasised in-situ inspection, satellite repair, upgrading and reconfiguration as essential to ensuring Europe’s security. These capabilities are central to Astroscale France’s technical development, which spans six R&D lines focused on safe, scalable and autonomous IOS operations for both civil and defence use. 

Backed by Astroscale’s global mission heritage — including ELSA-d, ADRAS-J and ELSA-M — Astroscale France is applying proven lessons to shape a distinctly European approach. It is developing dual-use solutions that benefit defence and support a sovereign and independent capacity in space for France and its allies. 

Guidance, navigation and control is a core strength for the team, which has grown to 30 people and continues to advance both commercial and strategic priorities. Astroscale France is also partnering with domestic suppliers to strengthen the Toulouse-based supply chain and embed resilience across production and delivery. 

“Europe has a bold vision for a sustainable and sovereign space economy, and Astroscale France is here to help make that vision a reality,” added Philippe Blatt. “Our new office gives us the scale and speed we need to deliver. We’re proud of the momentum we’ve built, and we’re excited for what’s next.”