Signature of a Joint Declaration for the deployment of the In-Space Operations and Services Pilot Mission

The European Commission and several Member States (France, Germany, Luxembourg, Portugal, Spain) have signed a joint declaration to support the deployment of an In-Space Operations and Services (ISOS) pilot mission, a significant step towards accelerating the development of Europe's strategic capability to ‘Act in Space’. The signature will remain open for other Member States to join in the near future.

The ISOS Pilot Mission is a pioneering mission that aims to demonstrate the feasibility and operational capabilities of In-Space Operations and Services, enabling the European space actors to provide on-demand maintenance, life extension, upgrade, assembly, removal and logistic services in space. This cutting-edge mission will drive the generation of a new in-space economy, extend in-orbit demonstration and validation capacities, and enhance the resilience and sustainability of the space infrastructure while maximising the use of EU space technologies.

"The ISOS Pilot Mission is a real game-changer for Europe," said Timo Pesonen, Director General for Defence Industry and Space at the European Commission. "By signing this Joint Declaration, we are committing to work together with Member States to drive Europe’s ambition in unique opportunity to harness our collective expertise and resources to drive innovation and growth in the space sector."

The ISOS Pilot Mission will focus on application and service demonstration. It is designed as a precursor to a future adaptive infrastructure in space, providing a wide range of services to governmental and commercial users and assets. It will open up multiple new opportunities for business. The signing event took place on 28 January 2025, in the margins of the 17th European Space Conference, held in Brussels. 

For more information on ISOS, please visit the DG DEFIS website: In Space Operations and Services – a strategic ability for the future - European Commission or watch the video below: