Luxembourg-based LMO takes a leading role in reducing space mission costs through strategic partnership with Katalyst Space Technologies.
LMO, a prominent Luxembourg-based space technology company specialising in advanced payloads for in-orbit services and space situational awareness, has partnered with Katalyst Space Technologies to demonstrate a groundbreaking approach to spacecraft docking. This partnership aims to significantly reduce the costs traditionally associated with complex space operations, such as docking spacecraft, which have often been hindered by expensive and complex systems.
The new mission, slated for launch within the next 12 months, will showcase Katalyst’s innovative “assisted rendezvous and proximity operations” (RPO) architecture, a development that has already attracted the attention of major defence and space organisations. This new approach promises to make spacecraft docking more affordable by combining existing technologies in novel ways, bypassing costly systems like LIDAR and robotic servicers, typically used in the docking process.
“This mission underscores the need for commercial innovation to support critical US defence and space efforts.”
The collaboration between Katalyst and LMO highlights Luxembourg’s growing prominence in the space sector. LMO, which specialises in edge-processing capabilities for space situational awareness and in-orbit servicing, will contribute its VISION & SPECTRE edge-processing technologies to the mission. These systems are designed to enhance the overall safety and reliability of operations in space by improving Space Situational Awareness (SSA).
Michel Poucet, CEO of LMO, is enthusiastic about the mission’s potential, especially within the context of military and national security applications. “This mission underscores the need for commercial innovation to support critical US defence and space efforts. Our partnership with Katalyst exemplifies how Luxembourg’s space technology is making a significant impact on key defence initiatives,” says Poucet.
The mission has already garnered attention from US government agencies, with Katalyst’s proposal winning a $2 million contract from US Space Command as part of the Sustained Space Maneuver (SSM) Challenge.
The collaboration between Katalyst and LMO reflects a growing trend of international partnerships driving innovation in space technology, with Luxembourg at the forefront of these developments. By reducing the cost of spacecraft operations, the mission promises to unlock new possibilities in space exploration and national security, cementing LMO’s position as a key player in the evolving global space economy.
