🔧 Behind the Scenes – Part 10: talking safety rules in Antibes–Juan-les-Pins.

🛰️ Building a servicing spacecraft is about more than engineering. It also means operating it safely, alongside everyone else in orbit.

Last week, our colleague Emilien Genet (from Thales Alenia Space), who works on reliability for EROSS SC among other programmes, attended the 14th International Association for the Advancement of Space Safety Conference in Antibes–Juan-les-Pins. Under the theme “Together for a Safe Space Frontier”, the IAASS brought together experts on space traffic management, space debris, safety governance and standards.

Two conversations stood out for us:

🇫🇷 With representatives of Centre National d'Études Spatiales, Emilien discussed the French Space Operations Act (FSOA), and in particular how it deals with proximity operations. This is exactly the phase EROSS SC is designed for: approaching, capturing and servicing another satellite.

🇬🇧 He also heard how the United Kingdom is building its own regulatory framework alongside its active debris removal initiatives.

The common thread: rendezvous and proximity operations are moving from engineering challenge to regulated activity. For a European servicing mission, taking part in these discussions early matters as much as maturing the hardware. Reliability and safety cases built today will shape how servicing gets authorised tomorrow.

Thanks to IAASS for the conference, and to everyone who took the time to talk with Emilien.

👉 Working on space safety or licensing for in-orbit operations? We’d be glad to connect.

#EROSSSC #BehindTheScenes #IAASS #SpaceSafety #OnOrbitServicing #SpaceLaw #EUSpace #HorizonEurope