Also Read: NASA sent a robot named Link to save the Swift telescope, but if it fails the crash comes in October<\/a><\/h4>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nIts best-known milestone arrived on February 18, 2021, when NASA\u2019s Perseverance rover<\/a> landed on Mars. AVS contributed to the rover\u2019s MEDA wind-sensing hardware and designed the mechanical structure for SuperCam\u2019s calibration targets, which help the laser-equipped instrument analyze Martian rocks accurately. Small parts, huge journey.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWhy space junk matters<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Earth orbit<\/a> is getting crowded fast. ESA\u2019s latest statistics, updated June 25, 2026, list about 46,070 objects that are regularly tracked, while more than 660 breakups, explosions, collisions and other fragmentation events have added to the problem. A fragment only a centimeter wide can be enough to disable a spacecraft.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/okdiario.com\/techy\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/avs-basque-space-company-mars-revenue-growth-1.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
Basque engineering firm AVS, known for its work on NASA’s Mars missions, is expanding its focus into orbital cleanup and satellite servicing.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nWhy should people on the ground care? Weather forecasting, GPS-style navigation, broadband, climate monitoring and military surveillance<\/a> all depend on satellites sharing the same limited orbital lanes. One collision can create a cloud of new fragments, turning a single failure into a problem for many operators.<\/p>\n\n\n\nHow the CAT system works<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
AVS launched LUR-1, its first satellite, in September 2024. The spacecraft carries a device called MICE, which acts much like a tow hook on a car, plus six navigation aids that help another spacecraft judge its distance, orientation and tumbling motion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
CAT is the matching side of that system. Led by Spanish technology company GMV with AVS involved in the development, the planned servicing spacecraft<\/a> would approach a dead or disabled satellite, line up a robotic capture assembly with MICE and secure the target for removal.<\/p>\n\n\n\nEssentially, AVS is helping test whether future satellites can be designed for cleanup before they ever leave the factory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A business built on hard problems<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The strategy behind AVS is deliberately narrow. Carrera says the company looks for tenders where only two or three businesses can realistically compete, rather than crowded contracts based mostly on price. \u201cWe want to do the most complicated work our clients have,\u201d he told Cinco D\u00edas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is a specialist business, not a volume one. Major science contracts may take years to award and another seven to 10 years to complete, so hiring, cash flow and project management matter as much as clever engineering. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\nAlso Read: A startup built a robot in nine months to catch a falling NASA telescope before it burns up<\/a><\/h4>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nAVS says it already has work secured through 2029, which explains why Carrera describes the main challenge now as \u201cmanaging growth.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
More than a space company<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
AVS spreads that risk across space, fusion energy<\/a> and particle accelerators. It supplies equipment for ITER, the giant experimental fusion project in France, and works on IFMIF-DONES<\/a> in Spain, which will test materials for future fusion reactors. <\/p>\n\n\n\nFusion could eventually provide low-carbon power, but ITER remains a research step toward future power plants rather than a commercial electricity producer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The company also develops accelerator technology for cancer treatment and supplies major research centers. Spain\u2019s wider science industry generates an estimated $742 million to $913 million a year at the same ECB exchange rate, and domestic projects are becoming more important after years in which more than 70% of AVS\u2019s activity came from international markets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"Advanced](\"https:\/\/okdiario.com\/techy\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/avs-basque-space-company-mars-satellites.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
From contributing to NASA Mars rovers to developing orbital debris cleanup technology, Basque engineering firm AVS is scaling its revenue and space portfolio.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nThe environmental business case<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Space cleanup is not simply a public-interest project. It could become a market for inspection, life extension, towing, refueling and controlled disposal, with civilian, commercial and defense customers all needing safer access to orbit. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
ESA and the European Commission now describe in-orbit servicing as part of a future \u201ccircular economy in space\u201d that could reduce waste while strengthening Europe\u2019s strategic autonomy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\nAlso Read: NASA just gave an update on its $30 billion moon base \u2014 and the timeline may surprise you<\/a><\/h4>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nStandard hardware may be the key. Much like a common charging port makes everyday electronics easier to use, a shared capture interface could reduce the complexity and cost of removing satellites built by different companies. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
ESA says MICE-style interfaces and navigation aids are being added to several future Copernicus missions, which provide Earth observation data<\/a> for environmental monitoring.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThe real test is still ahead<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
CAT has not yet proved the full operation in orbit. Rendezvous and capture are difficult, especially when a dead satellite is tumbling, and a failed attempt could create the very debris the mission is meant to prevent. That is why the demonstration must validate navigation, synchronization and capture as one complete system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
AVS\u2019s story is no longer just about a small company that sent hardware to Mars. It is about designing the full life cycle of advanced machines, including what happens when their useful work is over. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The official statement was published on the Space Agency<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"What happens when a satellite dies but cannot move itself out of the way? It becomes a costly piece of … <\/p>\n
Why space junk matters<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Earth orbit<\/a> is getting crowded fast. ESA\u2019s latest statistics, updated June 25, 2026, list about 46,070 objects that are regularly tracked, while more than 660 breakups, explosions, collisions and other fragmentation events have added to the problem. A fragment only a centimeter wide can be enough to disable a spacecraft.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Why should people on the ground care? Weather forecasting, GPS-style navigation, broadband, climate monitoring and military surveillance<\/a> all depend on satellites sharing the same limited orbital lanes. One collision can create a cloud of new fragments, turning a single failure into a problem for many operators.<\/p>\n\n\n\n AVS launched LUR-1, its first satellite, in September 2024. The spacecraft carries a device called MICE, which acts much like a tow hook on a car, plus six navigation aids that help another spacecraft judge its distance, orientation and tumbling motion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n CAT is the matching side of that system. Led by Spanish technology company GMV with AVS involved in the development, the planned servicing spacecraft<\/a> would approach a dead or disabled satellite, line up a robotic capture assembly with MICE and secure the target for removal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Essentially, AVS is helping test whether future satellites can be designed for cleanup before they ever leave the factory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The strategy behind AVS is deliberately narrow. Carrera says the company looks for tenders where only two or three businesses can realistically compete, rather than crowded contracts based mostly on price. \u201cWe want to do the most complicated work our clients have,\u201d he told Cinco D\u00edas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is a specialist business, not a volume one. Major science contracts may take years to award and another seven to 10 years to complete, so hiring, cash flow and project management matter as much as clever engineering. <\/p>\n\n\n\n AVS says it already has work secured through 2029, which explains why Carrera describes the main challenge now as \u201cmanaging growth.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n AVS spreads that risk across space, fusion energy<\/a> and particle accelerators. It supplies equipment for ITER, the giant experimental fusion project in France, and works on IFMIF-DONES<\/a> in Spain, which will test materials for future fusion reactors. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Fusion could eventually provide low-carbon power, but ITER remains a research step toward future power plants rather than a commercial electricity producer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The company also develops accelerator technology for cancer treatment and supplies major research centers. Spain\u2019s wider science industry generates an estimated $742 million to $913 million a year at the same ECB exchange rate, and domestic projects are becoming more important after years in which more than 70% of AVS\u2019s activity came from international markets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Space cleanup is not simply a public-interest project. It could become a market for inspection, life extension, towing, refueling and controlled disposal, with civilian, commercial and defense customers all needing safer access to orbit. <\/p>\n\n\n\n ESA and the European Commission now describe in-orbit servicing as part of a future \u201ccircular economy in space\u201d that could reduce waste while strengthening Europe\u2019s strategic autonomy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Standard hardware may be the key. Much like a common charging port makes everyday electronics easier to use, a shared capture interface could reduce the complexity and cost of removing satellites built by different companies. <\/p>\n\n\n\n ESA says MICE-style interfaces and navigation aids are being added to several future Copernicus missions, which provide Earth observation data<\/a> for environmental monitoring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n CAT has not yet proved the full operation in orbit. Rendezvous and capture are difficult, especially when a dead satellite is tumbling, and a failed attempt could create the very debris the mission is meant to prevent. That is why the demonstration must validate navigation, synchronization and capture as one complete system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n AVS\u2019s story is no longer just about a small company that sent hardware to Mars. It is about designing the full life cycle of advanced machines, including what happens when their useful work is over. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The official statement was published on the Space Agency<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" What happens when a satellite dies but cannot move itself out of the way? It becomes a costly piece of … <\/p>\nHow the CAT system works<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
A business built on hard problems<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Also Read: A startup built a robot in nine months to catch a falling NASA telescope before it burns up<\/a><\/h4>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
More than a space company<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The environmental business case<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Also Read: NASA just gave an update on its $30 billion moon base \u2014 and the timeline may surprise you<\/a><\/h4>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
The real test is still ahead<\/h2>\n\n\n\n