Astroscale Opens Orbitarium, an Innovative Educational Hub at New Headquarters
Astroscale Holdings Inc. (“Astroscale”), the market leader in satellite servicing and long-term sustainability across all orbits, has announced it will open the Orbitarium, a learning center dedicated to space sustainability and housed within the new Astroscale headquarters in Sumida-ku, Tokyo. Starting July 5, this unique center will provide an immersive and educational experience for visitors, fostering a deeper understanding of our orbits and satellite technology.
Satellites play a crucial role in our daily lives, enabling essential activities such as communication and GPS. Operating in space, these satellites travel along designated paths known as orbits, like highways for automobiles. Space seems unimaginably vast, but there are specific altitudes and popular orbits that facilitate the use of satellites that support various activities back on Earth. As space development rapidly accelerates, the number of satellites and debris has increased drastically, leading to overcrowded orbits and an increased risk of collisions and near misses. Recognizing this challenge, the G7 Science and Technology Ministers’ Communiqué and the G7 Hiroshima Leaders’ Communiqué in May this year emphasized the importance of safe and sustainable space utilization and strongly encouraged efforts to address the problem of debris. To make more people aware of the current state of our orbits and our efforts to achieve space sustainability, we are pleased to announce the opening of the Orbitarium, a learning center available for public tours inside our new headquarters.
About Orbitarium
The Orbitarium is a unique facility that offers visitors an immersive experience to explore and understand Earth’s orbits and learn about Astroscale’s efforts to realize space sustainability. Inspired by the orbits themselves, the facility’s design resembles a circle, allowing visitors to grasp the interconnectedness between Earth, space, orbits and satellites. Upon entering, guests are greeted by curved monitors displaying captivating images of satellite orbits encircling a model of Earth, providing an educational experience on space sustainability. Additionally, the Orbitarium features a designated area where visitors can observe satellite manufacturing and component testing within a controlled environment, known as a clean room.
The Orbitarium includes:
A circular theater that gives visitors a sense of the connection between Earth and space
An exhibition area where visitors can learn about the orbital environment and space sustainability initiatives
An area where visitors can observe cutting-edge developments in the clean room, where satellites are manufactured and components are tested
Sales of select Astroscale goods
Origin of the name
The name “Orbitarium” is a fusion of “orbit,” representing the central theme of the facility, and “-arium,” a word derived from Latin that signifies “a place for —“.